


Purple Collars

by amycoolz, SylviaW1991



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cat AU, Eventual Sex, Keith is a cat lady, Lance is a lowkey cat lady, M/M, Rating will go up with chapter 6, They're both ridiculous, Will add more tags later when they become relevant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-09-21 11:16:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 64,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9546464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amycoolz/pseuds/amycoolz, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SylviaW1991/pseuds/SylviaW1991
Summary: When Lance showed up to Keith's cabin in the middle of the desert for their regular Friday game night, he hadn't been expecting his long-time crush to want to team up in a trivial game ofMario Kart. He definitely hadn't expected them to win, but miracles do happen. Finding out that his long-time crush had a long-time crush on him too was also unexpected, but Lance had learned to roll with the punches. The kiss they shared on Keith's couch was certainly a surprise too.Though the cherry on top of the whole cake, icing and all, was the mismatched family of kittens that had taken up residence under said crush's porch. And when Keith requested that he help get them out and nurse them back to health like they were their children? Total surprise, but hey, Lance was adaptable.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> We started writing this in September, okay. _S e p t e m b e r_. So obviously this is pre-season two. Please keep that in mind (but it's an AU, so it really shouldn't matter). :)
> 
> Also, the summary sucks. Blame Syl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No translations for chapter one, which is shocking.

He didn't know how Keith stood living in the tiny cabin way out in the middle of nowhere. It was so cut off and secluded, an extra thirty minute commute to get to the nearest house. It was forty-five minutes from the mcfreaking university. Lance's commute was fifteen minutes, and he was pretty sure he'd outright die if he had to wake up an extra thirty minutes early every morning just to drive to class. Riding the sexy bike he'd gotten from Shiro probably made the ride more tolerable, though Lance wasn't about to comment on how attractive Keith Kogane looked astride the red and black Ninja with his stupid mullet billowing in the wind and his dumb cropped jacket flared out behind him.

Not to mention those stupid biker gloves, leaving his fingers and a small square on the backs of his hands bare. He always smelled vaguely of leather and motor oil and whatever bland shampoo brand he used. Gross smells, he had to remind himself. Gross, bad smells that should not make his pulse skip.

He had a mullet, for crying out loud! Thick, grippable black hair that curled just a little around his collar. And his eyes were impossible - navy? Purple? Indigo? Who could tell when they seemed to change with the lighting? One of Lance's earliest encounters with him had involved his attempt to try and figure out the eye color dissolving into a staring match and then a shouting one.

_“Why are you staring at me?”_

_“Because you're impossible!”_

Which he was even now with that particular argument a year behind them. Fuck, their first argument was a year old. His crush was a year old. What the cheese?

Sighing, he pulled up to the one bedroom cabin and parked his blue hatchback in the driveway. At least they weren't constantly at each other's throats now, Lance's crush having faded into quiet pining instead of loud denial. It made it both better and worse in some ways, but at least the playful bickering was nicer than the angry shouting. He never knew what to say when there was actual anger involved, his mind shutting down and insults drying on his tongue. He'd never admit it, but he'd scoured the internet in search of good insults and snappy comebacks so he could have things to actually say when Keith's quick wit flustered him.

Keith still won ninety-eight percent of their fights, but Lance clung to that two percent like Pidge did her computer. It was better than zero.

Lance grabbed the two shopping bags from his passenger seat before climbing out of the car, the first to arrive at Keith's for their usual Friday study night. Or it had started out as a study night. Kind of hard to study when Hunk and Pidge were veritable geniuses in their fields - geotechnical engineering and mechanical engineering, respectively - and he and Keith were... relatively normal. Neither of them were idiots, no. Keith's language and social skills could use a bit of work, and Lance's ADHD and general tendency to goof off were inhibitors, but they still did well in their classes. Lance's As spoke for themselves.

So study night had devolved into a game night. They all still brought school things, Lance throwing his backpack over one shoulder, just to make a show of things and maybe if someone genuinely needed help with something, all hands would be on deck. But for the most part? They ate and played video games or cards - no poker, Keith - and just hung out. Fridays were the best down time for the four of them.

Lance took the two steps up Keith's porch, brows drawing together when he noticed two empty bowls against the wall. Why would Keith have bowls on his porch in the mcfreaking desert? Time to find out.

He shifted a bag to the opposite hand and punched in the security code to Keith's door to let himself in. “Keith!” he yelled, dumping his bag on the floor and carrying the shopping bags the short distance to his kitchen to drop them on the tiny excuse for a table. It only had two chairs, but none of them ever ate at it anyway. That's what couches and coffee tables were for. “Hey, Keith! Where the hell are you?”

“Right here,” Keith answered, emerging from the bedroom. He’d just finished taking a shower and was pulling a shirt on over his head, his still-damp hair curling up even more in the back and getting the collar wet. “What’d you bring this time?” 

“Don't let your hair just air dry, you heathen.” Gorgeous, wet heathen. What the cheese? Sometimes, Lance swore Keith knew about his crush and was just trying to torture him. He turned before he could get caught staring, unloading his bags. “I brought dessert from Mary, which means it'll be awesome, chips since Hunk said he'd handle actual food, and I finally found Double Dash so I can kick your ass in a real Mario Kart game.”

“You wish you could beat me at Mario Kart. Especially Double Dash. I _own_ that game.” Keith grabbed the bag of chips, tearing into them and popping a couple into his mouth, crunching them obnoxiously since he knew it annoyed Lance. Smirking, he made a show of swallowing before setting the bag back onto the table. “Or we could team up and destroy Hunk and Pidge.”

The offer was a little bit of a surprise, but Lance considered it as he grabbed the chips and rolled the end up to seal them and keep them away from Keith and his shithead smirk. “Maybe if your bragging’s actually worth something, we can. If you're just gonna be your normal charming self, then no.”

“There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, Lance. You’re just a sore loser,” he teased. “But yeah, we should play together.” Keith nudged him with an elbow, smirk morphing into an easy smile.

“Pssh. I'm so not. You're just an asshole.” Lance opened the container full of whatever raspberry and lemon pastry his sister had concocted and broke one in half, offering one of the halves to Keith with a grin. “But we're gonna own them.”

“Yeah we are.” He took a bite of the dessert, eyes closing as the taste hit his tongue. “Mary never disappoints.”

“Right? If Hunk would drop engineering and just go into culinary, he and Mary could open a place and become a franchise like _that_.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis, trying not to watch the way Keith licked a bit of raspberry from his lower lip. Damn it. He gave up and walked to the fridge to see what soda he had on hand. “So what's up with the bowls on your porch? Feeding lizards now?”

“What? No, I'm not feeding lizards.” He finished off the rest of the pastry and dropped into one of the chairs, crossing his feet at the ankles and propping them up on the other one. “There's a cat that's been coming around. I think it's living under my house now, so I've been putting out food and water.” He shrugged. “I haven't seen it in a few days, but the bowls have been empty every day when I get home.”

That was admittedly kind of adorable. Lance grabbed two sodas, setting one in front of Keith before shoving his feet off the chair so he could drop onto it. “Aw, Keith the cat lady.”

Keith scowled at him, shifting in his seat since he’d been thrown off balance. “I’m not a cat lady. You can only be a cat lady if there are more than, like, three. There’s only one.” As far as he knew. Unless the one cat he thought was living under his house was eating four cups of food a day, there might actually be more. Damn it.

“I like how you're ignoring the ‘lady’ part. That's very progressive of you, mullet. I'm proud,” he teased, cracking the soda open. “Any idea what kind of cat you're mothering?”

“Yeah, well…” He waved a hand and took a sip of his soda. “And no. I’ve only caught glimpses of it. It’s really skittish. But it’s got hairy ears and the bushiest tail I’ve ever seen on an animal.”

“Maybe it's a mom cat, and you've got a bunch of kittens under-” Lance broke off, letting out a laugh at Keith’s expression. “I'm just kidding, cripes. It's weird that a cat found its way all the way out here, though. Pretty far for a stray.”

Keith shrugged again. How was he supposed to know how a random stray cat wandered way the hell out to what was basically the middle of the desert? He didn’t care, though, that it had. He wasn’t about to leave it out there to die, which is why he’d bought food for it in the first place. “Yeah, I guess. It’s alright, though. It’s not causing me any trouble, other than costing a few extra dollars every week for food.”

“Maybe you should try and catch it?” It was Lance’s turn to shrug. “It can't be good for it to be living under your house. The shade’s probably a relief, but still. You should at least make sure it's not hurt or anything.”

“I’ve tried. It doesn’t like to come out from under the porch. Plus, it’s hard since it’s just me, you know?”

Lance rolled the can between his palms, humming. “Um. I could help? If you wanted. I guess.”

Keith set his can back down on the table, taking a second to mull over the offer. It would make him feel better if he could see the cat for longer than five seconds so he could make sure it was alright. “Yeah. I mean, if _you_ want to, yeah.”

“Yeah, come on. Let's see what we can do before Pidge and Hunk get here. You know the second he knows there's a cat, it's all he'll want to talk about. And once she knows, she's gonna give you a list of everything you've done wrong regarding the cat.”

Pursing his lips - because he’d been doing nothing wrong regarding the cat, thank you very much - he killed half of his soda and stood up. “Okay, let’s go, then. You’ll need the flashlight on your phone.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Lance dipped his hands into his pockets as he rose, following Keith out of the kitchen. 

No sooner had they reached the porch, though, that they could see Hunk’s gold SUV rounding the corner. Lance hummed. “I'm not busy tomorrow if you want to try then.”

Keith chuckled, stowing his phone into his back pocket. “Sounds good. I have to run out at some point and grab another bag of food, but other than that, I’m free. Just text me.”

“Will do, mullet.” Lance grinned, bending over to grab the bowls so their friends wouldn't have the same question he had. He wasn’t entirely sure why he even wanted to keep it from them. It was just a cat under Keith’s house. Heck, telling the two genius engineers would probably be a help more than a hindrance. But he still took the bowls inside and rinsed them off in the sink.

Maybe it was just the novelty. He had a million secrets with Hunk, thousands with Pidge, and a grand total of zero with Keith. They weren’t really friends like that, rarely even spending time alone together. Part of that, Lance knew, was his own reaction to the stupid crush he just couldn't shake. If they spent too much time alone, he'd fuck up and say something. Flirting playfully in front of others was fine and harmless because it couldn't go anywhere and could be the joke. Flirting when they were alone was actual flirting, and Lance didn’t know what to do. Well, he absolutely knew how to flirt. But he didn’t know how to be... whatever Keith would need him to be. Maybe getting over his annoying worries and hanging out with Keith like an actual friend would be a good thing.

Hopefully.

“Mm, I wonder what Hunk brought for food. I’m starving.” Keith took the bowls from Lance and hid them in the cupboard along with the almost-empty bag of cat food. He wanted to ask why the secrecy, because he sure as hell didn’t care if Pidge and Hunk knew about the stray cat, but shrugged it off. It would be nice to have something just between the two of them. Hopefully that meant Lance would come around by himself more often. It didn’t happen a lot, but Keith treasured the moments when it was just them, though they only fueled his big dumb gay crush for him.

Which had only turned into a big one in recent months. It had started out as a _tiny_ dumb gay crush at one of their game nights six months ago, when Pidge and Hunk had been arguing over whose turn it was in Monopoly, and he’d caught Lance smiling at him out of the corner of his eye. He’d never seen that smile before. It was warm, fond, like Lance had been looking at one of his family members instead of just his self-proclaimed rival (even though they’d dropped that schtick several months prior). But it was enough to spark that interest, and it flamed up like it had been there all along, just waiting for him to take a match to it.

He shook himself out of it as Pidge and Hunk came through the door. Damn it, this was not the time to get caught up in his big dumb gay feelings for Lance. “Hey, guys,” he greeted, proud of himself for being able to keep the tremor out of his voice.

“Hey, man.” Hunk dumped his armful of bags onto the counter, unloading containers.

Lance propped an arm on his shoulder, leaning against him. “Holy crow. Are you feeding an army?”

“Between the way you and Keith can put food away, absolutely.”

“Pot, meet Kettle.”

Hunk gasped as if offended, but his chuckle gave him away. “It's a taco bar, sort of. Build your own burritos. Easy and delicious.”

“Aka, you can't complain about not knowing what's in it, Lance.” Pidge grinned, elbowing Keith. “There are still sodas in the car. There was a sale, so I grabbed five.”

Keith smiled with her. Making digs at Lance’s picky eating habits was always a favorite pastime of theirs. “Only five sodas? Why not six? Or was the sale ‘buy two and a half, get two and a half free’?”

“Buy three, get two, smartass.” She elbowed him again. “Don’t make me regret getting an extra case of root beer for you.”

“No! I mean, thanks. Even though that’s a stupid sale.” He lightly shoved her shoulder. “Come on, I’ll help you get them out of the car.”

“A sale’s a sale, man. Who cares if it's stupid?” Pidge led the way out, well aware of both Lance's long-standing crush and Keith’s dumb gay one since he'd pulled her aside when it hadn't gone away after a day or two and Lance was incapable of keeping secrets from her or Hunk. _They_ were what was stupid. “So how long’s Lance been over?”

“Not long.” Definitely not long enough. “Probably less than half an hour.”

“No wonder the house isn't on fire yet.” She hefted two of the cases off the back seat, leaving the last three for Keith. “Still haven't admitted to liking his face?”

“ _No_.” He arranged the cases in his arms and then kicked the door shut. “Not yet. I will. Eventually. Maybe,” he muttered under his breath, following Pidge back up the steps to the porch. “I mean, I want to, but… I don’t know how to, exactly.”

Neither did Lance. “You’re both losers. It shouldn't be that hard, Keith. You just... tell him.”

“It _is_ that hard, Pidge. If it wasn’t, I would have done it already.” That was a lie, but she didn’t need to know that. Truthfully, Keith was terrified that Lance didn’t feel the same way; one smile that was secretly sent his way didn’t necessarily mean that Lance mirrored his crush.

“Well, maybe if you guys spend more than barely half an hour at a time together, it'll get easier. You guys need to figure out an activity to do by yourselves. You have to have _something_ in common.”

“Yeah… But ‘what’ is the question.” Not wanting to talk about it anymore, at least for the moment, he kicked the front door open and hauled the sodas in, dropping them on the table that was now cleared off. He took one of the cases of root beer and stuck it in his fridge. “Alright, soda’s here. How’s the burrito bar coming along?”

“Pretty much all laid out. I'm just gonna reheat some of this stuff on the stove, and-”

“There’s a microwave,” Lance reminded him.

Hunk blinked. “Yeah, right, totally. So I'm gonna use the stove, and food should be good to go in five minutes.”

Lance rolled his eyes, but crouched to grab a couple of pans from Keith’s lower cabinets. “Whatever. I'm starving.”

“Me too.” Keith grabbed his open can of soda off of the counter where it was relocated and wandered over to watch Hunk reheat their dinner. It was always a treat when Hunk decided to cook for their game nights, and he made so much food that Keith usually had leftovers for a couple days afterwards. “Looks great, man.”

“Thanks. It's pretty simple, all things considered. Just a lot of prep work.” Hunk shrugged. The overabundance of food to help keep Keith’s kitchen stocked wasn’t an accident, though he wasn’t going to admit to that. “And spices.”

“What kind of spices?” Lance wondered, leaning over Keith’s shoulder to study the meat sizzling in the pan.

“Don’t be a loser, Lance. You know you'll like it if Hunk’s cooking,” Pidge scolded, shoving him a little harder than necessary.

To keep from falling, he ended up pushed up against Keith’s back, hands on his hips. “Pidge!”

“Um.” _Holy shit_. Keith blushed furiously, glaring at Pidge. She totally did that on purpose. Keith would prove it and then he was going to kill her. He cleared his throat awkwardly, trying not to focus on the glorious heat from Lance’s hands. “You- You okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine.” Lance left his hands where they were a second or two longer than necessary, reluctant to lose the subtle curves against his palms. His hips were as grippable as he'd always imagined they would be.

Hunk popped him out of his clingy bubble. “Guys, can we not mess around right in front of a hot stove? I'd rather not have to take someone to the hospital.”

Lance took a quick step back, stalking away to grab his soda. “I'm gonna go set up the game.”

Pidge smiled broadly at Keith’s glare. “I'll give you a hand, Lance.”

 _Fuck you_ , Keith mouthed as she went into the living room with Lance. She flipped him the bird around the wall and he groaned softly. Whatever. “You need help with anything?” he asked Hunk, hoping he’d say yes so he could take his mind off of the fact that Lance just had his hands on him. And hadn't let go right away. Did that mean-? But it could have been just surprise from the shove keeping him there while he tried to get his bearings. Or- No, he was probably reading too much into the lingering touch. Damn it.

“Sure! If you want to, uh...” Hunk looked around, the counters laden with food ready to be served and the meat on the stove nearly done warming. “Set... uh... we need plates?”

“Okay, yeah.” Keith could get plates. He finally got his limbs moving enough to reach up into the cupboard that held all of his dishes, pulling out four plates and setting them on the counter. Easy. Except now his traitorous brain was making him remember the way Lance had not only held him, but pressed up against his back, nearly crowding him into the counter. He’d been so warm, firm behind him, and- _No, damn it, stop_. “It’s probably ready, right?”

“Yeah.” Hunk switched off the heat and reached for the tortillas to pile them on one plate with a paper towel separating them. “You okay? Your face keeps going from thoughtful to annoyed.”

“Uh, yeah, I'll be alright. Just-” Just thinking about the big dumb gay crush he had on Lance, which was now becoming an enormous dumb gay crush. He gestured vaguely towards the living room. “Lance, y’know?”

Hunk chuckled, sticking the stack of tortillas in the microwave for ten seconds so they’d be more malleable. “Yeah, I know. It’s _Lance_. And you. You and Lance.” He paused. “I’m trying to say I understand because you’re getting to be pretty obvious, man.”

 _“_ Damn it.” _No_ , he'd been trying to avoid that. He'd have to try to rein it in. Then again, this was Lance they were talking about. That wasn't going to be easy. But maybe he didn't want it to be easy. Maybe- “Me and Lance…” he muttered. The thought of actually being with Lance made his heart flutter and his cheeks flare. God, he wanted to be with him so badly.

Keith dragged a hand through his hair, grimacing since it was still somewhat damp. “This is a problem, Hunk.”

Hunk shrugged, setting one of the tortillas on a plate and offering it to Keith with a smile. It was less of a problem than he thought. “Why? You guys already bicker like a couple. May as well add the actual couple part.”

“I- I don't know. I mean, _I_ want that. But what if Lance doesn't want a relationship?” Keith wanted one, wanted to go on dates with him and buy him stuff and do all the normal things couples did. Maybe eventually they could fall into bed together, and Keith wanted that too. But not if Lance didn't. “Why does it have to be so hard?”

“You’re probably overthinking it.” And it was hard not to tell Keith that Lance liked him back, but he’d promised Lance. “When he flirts with you like, y’know, he always does, just flirt back and watch his brain explode. Problem solved, man.”

“Yeah, easy for you to say. I can't flirt. I'm terrible at it.”

“So? Just give it a shot, Keith. It won’t kill you.”

Lance and Pidge popped in before he had a chance to argue further. “Game’s setup and ready to go!” No idea where his first soda had gone, Lance bounced to the fridge to nab a root beer. “I’m calling Baby Luigi now.”

“Because you’re on the same mental level,” Pidge teased.

Keith laughed, finishing off stuffing his burrito. “Well I want Toadette.” With Baby Luigi’s Chain Chomp power-up and Toadette’s golden mushroom, they were sure to be an unstoppable force on the track. “We've gotta get the Bullet Blaster car.”

Lance aimed finger guns at him. “You know it.”

“Whoa, whoa. What’s going on? What’d I miss?” Hunk wondered.

“They teamed up behind our backs.” Pidge shook her head. “Like cheaters.”

Grinning, Lance reached over Keith to grab a plate for himself. “It’s not cheating. It’s pre-planning.” His hip bumped Keith's. “Back me up for once.”

 _Too close_. _Not close enough_. “Yeah, Pidge,” Keith managed, basking in the heat radiating off of Lance. “We decided we wanted to destroy you guys.”

Hunk gasped, him and Pidge exchanging glances. “After I went through the trouble of feeding you.”

“Please. All you did this time was chop stuff up,” Lance teased, bright smile aimed Keith’s way before he stepped back to start loading his tortilla. “We have to put it together ourselves. You've earned destruction.”

Keith ducked his head, hiding a smile, and backed away from the counter to let Lance have some space. “I do appreciate the food, Hunk, but Lance is right.”

Lance’s fingers faltered, but only for a moment before he was laughing. “I'm always right, Keith. Welcome to the know.”

“Don’t inflate his ego, oh my god.” Pidge ducked around Lance, elbowing him out of her way once he was finished. “He won't be able to fit through the door if it gets any bigger.”

“Wow, rude.” Lance set his plate on the table to roll his burrito. “I'm gonna cast YouTube.”

“No. You always blast Spanish crack trash. Play some quality memes,” Pidge protested.

“Or we can watch something that makes sense.” When both Pidge and Lance sent him a bland stare, Hunk shrugged. “Or not.”

“Well, what _are_ you gonna cast?” Keith wondered, “I won't allow anything dumb on my TV. I'll turn it off.” He set his plate down on the table to grab a fresh soda, his burrito unrolling itself. Sighing, he put the can down and tried to roll it back up, only to have one end open again. He hadn't even filled it up that much, what the hell? “I give up.”

“My memes are obviously too dank for you heathens,” Lance slid Keith’s plate closer to roll the tortilla himself. “It’s not just rolling. It’s a fold, mullet. There.” He exchanged Keith’s plate for his own and walked out to enter the living room. He dropped onto the short couch and retrieved his phone. “And it may be your TV, but it’s my caster. So I get a say in the queue.”

“That’s weak.” Pidge stole Keith’s normal chair, balancing the plate on her knees. It looked like there was finally some progress happening in this relationship and if she and Hunk had to do some maneuvering to keep the momentum up, so be it. “If you throw trash in the queue, I’m deleting it.”

Keith scowled at her but took the spot next to Lance on the couch, putting his plate and soda down on the small coffee table. Their knees knocked together, thighs pressing close until Keith scooted just an inch or two away, cheeks flushing. There was still barely any room between them, Keith's arm brushing Lance's every time one of them moved. Thankfully they were both right-handed or else eating would have been awkward. “What's in there now?”

“I just threw in a let’s play. The AH guys uploaded a new murder.”

Pidge laughed, satisfied with the choice. “Keith, we need to build you a good PC so we can play this game. Hunk too.”

“Uh. No. My palms sweat when we play GTA, okay? I can’t play a game where the whole point is to kill your friends.”

Lance snickered. “That’s what makes it fun.”

“Yeah. Plus, Lance can’t lie to save his life. I _always_ know when he’s the murderer.”

“That does sound like a lot of fun.” Keith loved watching the videos of the guys playing, wishing he could join in. And it would be fun to be able to play with his own friends. “If you want to, I'll get all the parts and we can play. It might just take a while for me to get the money.”

“Eh. You can always just pay us back when you do have the money. Or we’ll call it Christmas.”

Lance grinned. “Besides, it’ll be fun kicking your ass, noob.”

“Thanks, Pidge.” Honestly he didn't deserve their friendship, but he was grateful for it. “And what the hell is a ‘noob’?”

Pidge and Lance both beamed, but neither explained. Lance just quietly hit play on the video. They talked over it as they ate, the back and forth easy and teasing between them all good-natured. Lance particularly enjoyed easy access to Keith, poking his shoulder and knocking their knees together whenever he had a chance. And maybe it was a little excessive, but Keith wasn’t exactly stopping him and there wasn't usually a chance for him to touch. They normally kept some semblance of distance from one another. By the time the video was over, Lance was sideways on the couch, one leg drawn up so he could face Keith as he explained why the Spiderman meme was dead and old and, “Keith, what the _cheese_? Why don’t you know ‘Gasolina?’ That song is my lifestyle.”

“No surprise there.”

“No time for your insulting comments now, Pidge. I'm busy being personally offended.”

“I seriously don’t know what you’re talking about,” Keith mumbled.

Lance lifted his arms up. “How are we even friends?!”

Keith just shrugged. “You’re actually fun to be around when you’re not being a shitlord.”

“That-” That had been a rhetorical question, but okay. He dropped his hands back to his lap, a little unsure how to proceed. An actual compliment - shitlord aside - was as difficult as actual insults. “Okay. Well, uh, so are you. So I'm gonna throw these plates in the sink. Anybody want another soda?” Lance popped up quickly, grabbing their plates off the coffee table.

God, he was an idiot. “I’ll, um… Yeah, I’ll take another root beer.”

“Gotcha. Pidge, Hunk? You know this is the only time I'm offering.”

“I'm fine.”

Pidge held up her red can. “Grab me a replacement. We'll switch to the game.”

“Cool.” Lance glanced at Keith, smile quick - he actually liked spending time with him, holy crow - and sped into the kitchen.

Pidge barely waited for him to exit. “That was _sad_. Wow, Keith.”

“Shut up.” He sank further into the couch, crossing his arms over his chest. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.” He wasn’t sure why it was so hard with Lance, since it was fairly easy when it was anybody else.

“Obviously.”

“Aw, come on, Pidge. He fried Lance's brain at least. Besides, now we don’t have to watch ‘Gasolina’ memes.”

She adjusted her glasses, humming. “That is true.”

“Yeah…” But he wasn’t sure that the way he fried Lance’s brain, according to Hunk, was the right way. “Here, just pass me two controllers, Pidge. Please,” he tacked on quickly, recognizing the beginning of a glare.

“Alright, here.” She rose and tossed them to him before handing Hunk one. She swapped the inputs for the television so the game would show up when the Gamecube was switched on. “Since you and Lance already know what you’re doing, let’s at least get character selection done.” She smirked as she dropped back into the chair. “I’m so willing to bet that you guys fail hard.” 

Keith wasn’t sure if she was being serious or not, but the temptation to actually bet on this game was too hard to resist. Plus, it’d been too long since they’d all played poker - _“I am not a_ cheater _, thank you very much, Pidge”_ \- and he figured it would make it more interesting. “Let’s do it. What are the stakes?”

“Uh, guys-”

“Four bucks per round,” Pidge decided. “Even two per teammate.”

“Guys-”

“You’re on.”

Hunk sighed, giving up as Lance rejoined them, pushing the cold can against Keith’s cheek for the hell of it. “What’s going on?”

Keith pouted, but exchanged Lance’s controller for the can of soda. “We’re placing bets. Pidge doesn’t think we’ll win. Two bucks each per round.”

“Dude, I am so in!” He passed Pidge her can before dropping back onto the couch. “Let’s do this.”

“Alright, so there are four cups, and four tracks for each cup. We should play on 150cc so the NPCs are tougher, but you don’t have to come in first in order for the bet to stand. You just have to finish before the other team.” Keith queued up the first set of tracks in the Mushroom Cup. “When we get to Rainbow Road, we should raise the stakes.”

“Double up,” Lance suggested with a grin, knocking their knees together. “Easy.”

“I’m up for that.”

“Do I get a say or-?” Three bland gazes were sent his way so Hunk hunched his shoulders. “Yeah, okay, I didn’t think so.”

“There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition, Hunk,” Keith said, smirking. “Come on, the race is about to start.”

By the end of the first race, Keith and Lance were as far away as they could get from one another while still sitting on the same couch. They’d spent more of it glaring at each other than watching the screen, bickering taking a sharp negative turn very quickly.

“What the _hell_ , Keith?!”

“Me?!”

By the end of the second, the only question about their mutual oblivious crush was _Why this guy?!_ And by the end of the third, Lance had had enough. Playing with Keith was worse than playing with Hunk. He and Pidge hadn’t even finished in first, but they’d still finished successfully. 

Scowling, Lance moved without thinking. “There is literally zero reason for us to keep losing. Jesus, Keith, this is mcfreaking pathetic. You’re, like, the worst partner in the history of this game, and I am so done with you.” As he ranted, he settled himself right in Keith’s lap, shimmying down until his head was beneath Keith’s chin. His knees bent, feet on the edge of the table. “If we lose again, it’s totally your fault.”

 _What the fuck_. Keith’s brain shut off, his arms frozen above his head where he’d had to lift them when Lance crawled on top of him. Again, _what the fuck_. He glanced at Pidge, who was snickering behind her hand, and at Hunk, who blushed a little but just shrugged. “Uh, o-okay.” He brought his arms back down, wrapping around Lance’s shoulders and holding his controller in front of his chest; Lance had his held in his own lap. And god, he’d thought Lance was warm when he was just brushing up against him in the kitchen or pressed side-by-side on the couch, but this was something completely different. It felt like he was being consumed by flames, Lance’s bare skin almost burning where it touched his. “I’ll try harder.” And that was a poor choice of words when he had his crush literally cradled in his arms on his lap.

“Yeah, you’d better. Try actually listening. Holy crow, Keith, you’re better than this.” Lance was still just a little too irritated to realize what he was doing. He was used to it, anyway. Hunk never particularly minded if Lance sat in his lap while he was playing a video game and none of Lance’s older siblings had ever minded either. It was their fault it was a habit anyway. “We are _not_ losing Rainbow Road.”

“No, no way.” Lance was right, he _was_ better than this. He’d prove it to him. “We have three tracks to get it together before Rainbow Road.” Keith tightened his arms around him subtly, in as much of a hug as he could manage in their position. “We can do this.”

They were still a little shaky on the next race, but Lance actually hit Z when Keith asked him to near the end and they didn’t finish in last. They still didn’t beat Hunk and Pidge, but sixth was a lot better than eighth. Lance wriggled, grinning. “Alright, now we’re gettin’ somewhere.”

Keith managed to hold back a whimper, but couldn’t stop the other reactions his body was having to Lance’s movements in his lap. And he couldn’t even shift his legs to try to hide it. Jesus, he was going to die. Hopefully Lance just wouldn’t notice. “We-we can do better than that. The next race is Dino Dino Jungle. Let me drive this one. I know all the shortcuts. So hit Z as soon as the green light pops up.”

Lance was tempted to argue because, yeah, he knew the shortcuts too. It was _his_ game, but he hit it anyway. “If we get the golden ‘shroom, swap. I know how to handle this course too.”

“Okay.” The race started and they both mashed Z to switch positions in the cart, Keith taking off as soon as he got control. He drifted around the first few turns, managing to stay in fourth, which was still better than where Pidge and Hunk were for the moment. He picked up a double-block power-up in between the legs of the dinosaur - a crappy green shell and, _yes_ , the golden mushroom. “Before we switch, throw that shell behind us… _now_!” He lined up their cart with the team behind them, the green shell effectively wiping them out. “Yes! Okay, now switch. I think I know when you wanna use this, but let me know.”

“I’m thinking the only shortcut we haven’t used yet.” It should shoot them into first if they did it right or land them right back into last. “Hope you’re good at button mashing.” Lance pressed back into Keith, shifting against him as he swayed with the movements of the character on screen as if it would help them turn better. They whirled into a dark cave, Lance making a quick right to hit a path of what was most likely supposed to be some sort of wood. “Okay, go, go, go!”

Keith gripped his controller tighter, working his thumb as fast as he could on the X button, propelling them over the ramp and onto the other side of the track. Lance landed the cart perfectly, and Keith watched the top of the screen as their “4th” turned into a “1st”. “Oh my god, we’re in first. _Go_! We’re almost there. Come on...”

They sailed over the finish line still in first, leagues ahead of the NPCs and their friends. “Woo! Yes!” Lance let his head fall back on a laugh, relaxing against Keith as the other two raced to the finish. “I knew it. We are a good team.”

Keith smiled, resting his cheek on Lance’s hair. “Yeah…” he murmured, and, suddenly emboldened by Lance’s calm state, he took one hand off his controller so he could actually wrap his arms more securely around him. “We really are.”

The hug, the hug from _Keith_ , snapped the realization into him. Lance couldn’t help but stuffen. Oh. He’d just- He’d kind of just climbed right into his lap without any kind of warning. He was _sitting in Keith’s lap_! And Keith didn’t even seem to care, not if he was actually holding onto him, and- “Wait.” He let go of the controller with one hand, bringing it up to Keith’s arm since he’d started to let him go. Probably because he’d gone all tense like it was Keith’s fault for hugging him or whatever. “I- I mean...” He slowly relaxed against him again, easing into the warmth radiating from the solid presence behind him. “One more and then Rainbow Road, right? Let’s get some of our cash back, mullet.”

“Y-yeah. Let’s do it.” Keith was able to relax himself now that he knew Lance wasn't going to try to pull away. The way he’d tensed up scared Keith, like Lance didn't want the hug or even just his touch, and yeah, he’d been about to let him go when Lance’s hand stopped him. So if Lance wanted Keith to keep hugging him, he so would. He squeezed a little bit tighter, pressing Lance’s shoulder blades into the lower part of his chest, and just held him.

Lance’s lips quirked, head tipped back again. He left his hand where it was, only just resisting the urge to stroke his arm. But that would be stupid. He was already stupid for climbing into Keith’s lap in the first place, kind of surprised that he actually felt comfortable enough to do so. Yeah, he considered Keith to be his friend when all things were said and done, but he wasn’t a _close_ friend. He wasn’t like family the way Hunk was or even Pidge. He was just Keith. Rival turned grudging acquaintance, turned shaky friends, and now... Maybe they were closer than he thought. Maybe his crush wasn’t a big impossible crazy thing. “So, uh, you got this next one? As much as I hate to admit it, I think you might be, like, just the tiniest bit better at driving than me.”

Blushing at the compliment, Keith nodded into Lance's hair. The next course was Bowser’s Castle, his second favorite next to Rainbow Road, so as long as he didn't screw up too badly, they’d have it in the bag. “Th-thanks. And yeah, I can totally do it.”

“Okay, cool.” He wasn’t used to hearing Keith stutter. Maybe he wasn’t as okay with him being this close as he seemed? Honestly, the good thing to do would be to offer to move. The selfish thing was to stay right where he was and bask in the opportunity to be as close as he wanted to be. Lance picked the selfish option, letting him go only when the next race was about to begin so he could grab his controller. “Let’s do this.”

Keith didn't want to take his arm off of Lance's chest, letting it linger almost too long before he was scrambling for his controller. As their characters shot off onto the track, Keith had to rearrange them carefully because his leg had fallen asleep under Lance's weight. He did end up whining quietly this time when Lance was shifted against him, nearly breaking his concentration. “Shit,” he muttered, both in reaction to the game and to Lance.

“Do you-” Lance shifted again, maybe feeling a little bit like a jerk for going the selfish route. This was clearly a problem. “Do you want me to move?”

“No!” he answered, too quickly. No, he didn't want Lance to move, would be content to keep him there forever if he could. “I just- n-no. Don't go.”

Cripes. Mixed signals much? Lance rolled his eyes, but stayed where he was. He didn’t want to leave the warmth of his lap, his solid frame so much better than couch cushions. “Then pay attention, mullet. We dropped into third.”

“Yeah, I know. I can get us back up there.” He just needed to focus, but that was proving to be very difficult with Lance on top of him. He managed to pull out a first place win for them, though, and Keith had to seriously quell the urge to lean down and kiss the top of Lance's head when he laughed.

“Alright, see?” Lance gestured at the screen. “This is what we should’ve been doing from the start.”

“Yeah, well, you guys are still in the hole,” Pidge reminded them, both of the bet and the fact that she and Hunk were still actually in the room. 

Lance only aimed a finger gun at her. “Less than we were, Pidge. Less than we were.”

“And Rainbow Road is next anyway. You guys are going down.” Keith was confident that they could get first place. He basically knew that course like the back of his own hand. The hand that was currently idly stroking through Lance’s hair on the side of his head, not even realizing he was doing it until Lance tensed up again, and _oh_ , he should stop. Should, but wouldn't, didn't want to, because Lance’s short fluffy hair was actually really soft and felt so pleasant slipping between his fingers. And damn it, he was supposed to try to control this enormous dumb gay crush, so of course he was failing miserably.

Lance bit his lip, trying not to squirm too much at the gentle petting. He'd never thought of Keith’s hands as gentle - not that he thought about Keith’s hands very often. Except, yeah, he thought about them every single time he had a hand between his legs because how would those gloves feel against his skin and- He was failing at the whole not-squirming thing, but he didn’t want Keith to stop touching him, even though it was just his hair. There was only one more race left for him to enjoy the proximity.

Lance glanced at Hunk, cheeks flaring with color when he was given a thumbs-up. Holy crow, way to be obvious. He shimmied up a bit, tucking his head firmly beneath Keith’s chin since all the wiggling had made him slip. “So-” He had to clear his throat. “You driving again?”

Keith nodded again as best he could, fingers moving to lightly scratch behind Lance's ear. It felt silly to be treating him like a cat, but he was acting like one, soft and pretty much cuddling into his lap. Keith knew that he'd lose this after the last race, but he really didn't want Lance to get off of him, so held fast and tight now. “If-” And now he had to clear his own throat. “If you want me to, yeah.”

“Yeah. We've been, uh... You're good with the lead. If you think you've got this track down, let's stick with what works.” _Where else is he good at leading?_ Lance squashed the thought quickly, cheeks burning and fingers flexing on the controller. He tipped his head into the touch as the last race loaded, wondering if Keith would let him get away with this through another round.

“Okay, yeah, let's do it.” When the green light flashed again, Keith wasted no time shooting off the starting line. The track had guard rails on the sides for only a little bit before they disappeared around a couple of sharp corners. He drifted around them expertly, and after that it was basically just muscle memory. The 150cc made the NPCs more difficult to deal with, but Keith was able to maneuver around them almost effortlessly, Lance's character on the back of the cart punching a few of them off the edge as they passed by.

It didn't take long for them to get into second place, but Pidge and Hunk were trailing closely behind them. Lance was holding a red shell, and Keith smirked, leaning down to whisper in his ear, “I'm gonna let them pass, and then you throw that shell.” They pulled off the move flawlessly, shouting in victory when their friends went sailing off the edge. Keith was smiling the whole rest of the race, and even though they'd finished in third, Pidge and Hunk crossed the finish line in sixth.

“Ha!” Keith crowed, dropping his controller onto the couch and wrapping his arms more entirely around Lance. He didn't even care that they owed more money than they made, he and Lance did make a great team once they had gotten their shit together, and he'd had _fun_. And Lance was still sitting in his lap even though the start screen had popped back up. His grip around Lance's shoulders tightened, silently pleading for him not to move just yet.

Lance hadn’t been planning on moving, enjoying the hug more than he could say. “So we're obviously playing another round.”

Pidge rolled her eyes, holding back the snickers. “You just don't want to pay up.” They’d managed to break even, but math wasn’t Lance’s strong suit and Keith was likely too distracted by Lance’s very close presence to have been keeping track. Morons.

“Uh, yeah? If you think I have cash, you are _wrong_.”

“Yeah, come on, Pidge, you know I don't carry that much cash on me. I have to earn some of it back.” Keith chuckled, picking up his controller and pressing start to pull up the character select screen again. “Well, let’s go, then. Same teams.”

“Duh, same teams. We just got our rhythm.” And he didn’t want to move. His butt was going to go numb from the way it was perched on the edge of the couch and his knees were absolutely going to protest when he did finally stand up, but he had Keith’s lean, firm frame pressed snug against him, his distractingly nice arms wrapped around him. Yeah, that was worth some numbness.

“Yeah, definitely.” Keith picked the Mirror Cup this time, which was even harder than the races previous because they were the same tracks, but flipped. He laughed when he saw Hunk take a right instead of a left and fell off the road, zooming past with their Chain Chomp out in front of them thanks to Lance's power-up. Even with the increased difficulty, they were still able to finish in second place, securing their win against Pidge and Hunk.

After the third, Lance had to adjust. He pushed his butt further back on the couch, pressing snugly against Keith for some actual support. His legs stretched out, crossing at the ankle atop the table, but he still didn’t move out of Keith’s lap. He only settled more when Keith adjusted behind him to give more room, dropping a hand to pat his thigh in quiet thanks before the next race began.

Even without the crush, this was nice. He was the first to admit that he was what Pidge called “touchy.” He liked physical contact, from light brushes of fingertips to too-tight hugs, he liked the connection. And he knew Keith didn’t get much contact living where and how he did and that he hadn’t gotten much growing up orphaned. If he was comfortable enough to let Lance provide a connection, that couldn’t be less than a good thing, and he wanted it to last. He wanted to do whatever Keith was comfortable letting him do. “We’ve gotta be out of debt by now.”

“If you don’t know, we’re definitely not telling you,” Pidge interjected before Hunk could be overly honest. He hadn’t wanted to bet in the first place, so there was no reason to admit that they were twelve dollars in debt themselves.

Keith narrowed his eyes at her but stayed silent, resting his chin on top of Lance’s head and his controller in Lance’s lap. He’d never thought that cuddling with Lance like this would be something he’d crave, but he absolutely did not want it to end. He wasn't sure what it all meant, but he was hoping that maybe his enormous dumb gay crush might be returned. “How many more races do you guys wanna do?”

“I think I’m done after this,” Hunk admitted. As much as he wanted to encourage the two of them, “My palms are starting to sweat.” Lance sent him a bland look, and Hunk frowned. “Hey, these games are intense, man!”

“But they’re _games_.”

“Yeah, but we're all really competitive, so…” Keith started up the last race, choosing to skip over all the other tracks and pick the mirrored Rainbow Road. “You drive this time,” he told Lance.

“Cool. I’m better at the mirrored than the normal anyway.” Lance followed up that claim by spinning off the edge when Pidge immediately careened into him. “Pidge! Okay, that doesn’t count.” He wriggled against Keith, mashing buttons as he sailed around the colorful track.

Keith shifted underneath him, once again trying to hide the reaction he couldn't help with Lance's warm body pressed so close to him. “Th-that’s okay,” he assured, taking one hand off his controller and squeezing Lance's leg briefly. “Just bring it back. We're not out of this yet, they could still screw up.”

“Yeah. It’s- I’ve got this.” The touch nearly had him shooting off the edge again, but he managed to get back on track. Barely. Since he’d pressed his lower half closer, Keith’s reaction was actually a little noticeable. It was a very distracting pressure, his attention cut in half between the game and that. Was it just the normal reaction to having friction near that area or was it a reaction to him in particular? Lance wasn’t about to ask, quietly wetting his lips and shifting his hips again as their characters sped through a double block. The banana was spit out as they drifted around a corner, but the green shell was held onto in search of a good opportunity to use it.

“Oh, pass it back, I got this.” Lance tapped X, his character tossing the green shell back to Keith’s. Keith waited until they got around the next corner, the distance between Pidge and Hunk closing slowly. “Keep it steady,” he mumbled, and when he had a clear shot, Keith sent the shell flying. It bounced over a small bump in the track, bridging a small gap, and hit them in the back. They spun in place, and when Lance drove past, Keith punched them off the edge. “Yes!”

Lance let out a laugh over the sounds of Pidge’s and Hunk’s groaned protests. “Nailed it! Nice job, pretty boy.” The words slipped out as easily as “mullet” or “buddy” or one of the million other monikers he gave people, but it was new and his fingers fumbled a little, misclicking the drift when he realized it had come out. 

“Thanks, I-” Wait, pretty boy? Where had that come from? And was it supposed to be a compliment or an insult? Whatever it was, it sounded good coming from Lance, even though he felt a little embarrassed at being called pretty, whether he meant it like that or not. “Thanks. But ‘pretty boy’, really?”

Lance kept his gaze on the track, cheeks burning. “What? You’re both those things. It works.”

“You-” He dropped his voice, murmuring, “You actually think I'm pretty?” And why pretty? Keith didn't consider himself particularly good-looking, so he sure as hell wouldn't admit to Lance's claim that he was pretty.

Lance squirmed. It was normally easy to toss out a line Keith’s way. It wasn’t as though Keith ever took him seriously, but this felt just a little different. Like they were actually on the cusp of something here. “Duh. It’s not like I’m blind, Keith.”

Keith's breath hitched, waiting until they crossed the finish line on-screen, not caring that they'd finished fifth, before he let go of his controller. One of his hands found Lance's forearm, as close as he'd let himself get to holding hands, as much as he wanted to, until he could figure out what was going on. “I, uh… I think you're really pretty, too.” It sounded so stupid, coming from both of them, like they were some middle schoolers instead of actual adults. Stupid, but no less true.

“O-oh. That’s-” Unexpected. Lance knew he was attractive, sure. Who could deny that? But he hadn’t expected to hear it from Keith at all. He was grateful Keith couldn’t actually see his face, as red as it was. Pidge and Hunk very obviously watching them - no matter how much Hunk was trying to be a little subtle - did nothing to help his blush or the swirl of emotion tangled in his gut. Hope and confused uncertainty and he was just a mess.

He fell back on habit, his bravado practiced, mindless. “Pssh. Well, yeah. You’re not blind either, mullet.”

Keith sighed. Trust Lance to be an ass about it. “No.” He still didn't let go of him, though, keeping his fingers wrapped around Lance’s arm. “I'm not.”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Hunk, come on. I saw dessert.”

“Yeah. Mary made some raspberry lemon tart things. And, yeah, Hunk, I've got the recipe if you want it.”

“Thanks, man.” He rose from his chair to follow Pidge. “We'll bring a plate back out.”

Lance tossed his controller aside, immediately regretting the decision since he didn't know what else to do with his hands. He should move. He should seriously get up and follow them into the kitchen. “So... that was actually kinda fun.”

“Yeah, it was.” Keith was glad that Lance hadn't gotten up yet, wanting to keep him in his lap as long as possible. “You're really warm…”

“I, uh... yeah. Body heat’s a thing.” Lance shifted, giving up and turning in his lap so he could actually see his face. “I'm sorry for just, like... not asking? It's a weird habit, and you were handy.”

Keith’s blush from earlier, which had faded a little, came back full force. “N-no, it’s fine. I mean,” he cleared his throat, averting his eyes, “it surprised me, but it definitely isn’t unwanted. You feel good.”

Lance couldn't help the laugh, shoving his shoulder playfully. “Yeah, I can fucking tell.”

“Ah, shit. Sorry…” Keith shifted again, accidentally pressing his crotch into Lance’s leg. “I-” Oh god, this was bad. “L-Lance, I’m-”

“Don’t worry about it, oh my god.” It wasn’t as though he hadn't encouraged it. Lance laughed again as he laid back to prop his head against the couch’s armrest. He smirked, folding his arms behind his head. “Not the first dick I affected, pretty boy.”

Keith managed a small smile, cheeks still on fire. Now the question was did Lance mean to do it or was he just screwing with him? “...Were you doing it on purpose?” He wanted to know, _needed_ to know if even just a fraction of his feelings could be returned.

Fuck. _Fuck_! Why couldn’t Keith just let things be light and easy? They didn’t have to do this now. They didn’t have to do this ever. He'd been clinging to this crush for a mcfreaking year; he could hold onto it a little longer. “Not at first,” he blurted, immediately annoyed with himself. “Not- I mean-” Lance shrugged, averting his gaze. “Maybe after I realized it was _there_ , maybe. A little.”

“Okay. Alright, yeah, that- that's okay. ‘Cause I-” _Have an enormous dumb gay crush on you_. _Want to date you_. _Want to kiss you_. “I didn’t mind. If you were being serious.”

Lance slowly shifted his gaze back to Keith’s. “You... you don’t?”

“N-no. I l-” _I like you_. It was right on the tip of his tongue. Why couldn’t he just fucking _say_ it? He sucked in a steady, deep breath, reaching out to tuck a couple stray strands of hair back behind Lance’s ear in a move that was way more intimate and romantic than it had any right to be. “I, uh, I kinda really like you,” he finished on a murmur, looking anywhere but directly at Lance’s face.

Lance sat up quickly, right back in Keith’s lap, but actually facing him this time. It meant his knees were uncomfortably dug into the back of the couch, but this was kind of more important if his racing heart was any indication. “What?”

“I- You-” Keith was still trying to avoid his gaze, face flushing uncontrollably, but it was kind of hard in their new position, Lance right in front of him. He finally looked up, his voice just a quiet whisper when he repeated himself, “I really like you.”

“Holy crow,” Lance breathed, reaching up to grip Keith’s shirt. “You... Why do you have to tell me that when Hunk and Pidge are in the next room? Don’t you know that they’ll walk in here when I kiss you? They will _ruin_ the first kiss, mullet.”

Squirming beneath him, Keith brought his hands up to rest lightly on Lance’s hips. Apparently that was Lance’s way of confessing. “Then… wait til they leave?” Because he really didn't want their first kiss - _their first kiss, holy shit_ \- to be disrupted by their friends. Their friends who were cheering them on anyway, but who had no business being there for that.

“Nope.” He’d waited long enough already, so leaned in and fitted his mouth to Keith’s. 

It was just as unexpected as it was actually expected, his fingers digging into Lance’s hips. Keith’s lips parted on a surprised gasp, his eyes slipping shut as Lance’s tongue wormed its way into his mouth. It had only been a few seconds, but Keith could already say with certainty that it was the best kiss he’d ever had. And also that kissing Lance was going to be very dangerous for him.

Lance took his time exploring Keith’s mouth, savoring the taste of him and basking in the new knowledge that Keith actually liked him. _Keith_ liked him. His hands lifted to gently cup his cheeks so he could confirm that this was actually happening. This was real.

When the kiss broke, Lance left his lips close to Keith’s, but let his fingers trail up to slide into his hair. It had long since dried, the softness a pleasant surprise. “I like you too,” he murmured. “If that wasn’t obvious.”

“No, it- it’s pretty obvious now.” Keith smiled, wider than the last, and pressed forward to kiss him again - _again!_ \- briefly. “I guess Pidge was right.”

“About-?”

“When are you two gonna learn that I'm always right?” she interrupted, amused when they both jolted. “And it's about time you stopped being stupid.”

“Pidge, don’t interrupt them,” Hunk protested, grinning as he set a dessert plate down.

“Yeah, Pidge.” Lance made a quick recovery from the surprise, pressing his chest to Keith’s. “We're busy.”

Keith grinned, burying his face into the base of Lance's neck and, because he could, pressed a suckling kiss against the pulse point. His hands slipped down to rest on top of Lance's thighs, his fingers kneading into the muscle under the fabric of his jeans. This was what he'd wanted, to be able to hold Lance, and kiss him, and just _be_ with him. It was finally happening and Keith couldn't remember a time when he’d been happier than this. “Yeah. Busy,” he agreed, voice muffled against Lance's skin.

Lance pressed a kiss to his temple, pressing himself even closer. His knees were going to hate him for it later. “Kick her out. It's your place.”

“You’re both assholes,” Pidge laughed, dropping back into the chair she'd left. “Stop making out so we can watch a movie.”

Keith perked up at that. As much as he wanted to keep kissing Lance, he didn't want to do so with their friends in the same room. And a movie sounded like a good idea, especially since he was pretty sure Lance would definitely still sit in his lap the entire time. “What movie?”

Pidge grinned, tugging out her phone to queue the video she'd already downloaded. The intention had been - since they all liked horror even though Lance and Keith were both jumpy - to scare them into getting as close as possible. Now they could just get an excuse to stay as close as possible. “ _The Babadook_.”

“I've been dying to see that, holy crow.” Lance slid out of Keith’s lap so they could adjust, nudging him to the corner of the couch. “Stretch out your legs, so I can- Yeah.” He ended up sprawled over Keith rather than in his lap, but he’d rather be a blanket that could hide his face in the crook of Keith's neck when the film freaked him out then stuck facing the screen the whole time.

This was a much better alternative than having Lance just sitting in his lap. Keith wrapped his arms around him, their chests pressing even closer and legs tangling together. It was intimate, comfortable, and Keith never wanted to move. “Alright, start it up.”

Pidge hit play, Hunk switching the lights off, and Keith and Lance were both jumping and hiding against one another within minutes. It was a good movie, but it was probably better because when Lance jerked at something, he was able to press close to Keith. He was finally able to get as close as he wanted without worrying about how he was coming off. He could be clingy and press light kisses to his neck to make him shiver.

It was a good start for whatever this ended up being between them. And Lance was looking forward to finding out what they'd become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  Ch 02: 2/9  
> Ch 03: 2/16  
> Ch 04: 2/23  
> Ch 05: 3/2  
> Ch 06: 3/9  
> Ch 07: 3/9


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still no translations, what the fuck is wrong with us.

From Lance [11:54] _Idk when you were picking up cat food but i don't have transpo today b/c siblings. Come get me when you're in town?_

From Keith [11:58] _yeah, leaving now_  
From Keith [11:59] _want to come to store w/ me?_

From Lance [12:01] _Im in ♡_

From Keith [12:03] _cool. see you soon_

Keith stuffed his phone in his pocket and hopped on his bike, having just been locking up when his it buzzed with the message from Lance. He was all smiles while he made the nearly hour-long drive to Lance’s house, the night before playing on repeat in his mind. He wasn't sure what they were, if there was a label in place for them yet, but he was happy for now just being able to hang out with Lance while also being able to kiss him whenever he wanted.

Which was all the time.

The bike came to a smooth stop in Lance’s driveway forty-five minutes later, Keith killing the engine and jumping off the seat. He walked to the front door, ringing the doorbell and shoving his hands in his jacket pockets. The hatchback and the other family van was gone, so Keith had no idea who was still home to answer the door if it wasn't Lance.

He didn't have to worry, Lance swinging the door open a minute later, grin bright. “Hey, pretty boy.” Just to make sure the attention was still welcome and hadn’t been some really nice dream, he grabbed the lapels of Keith’s jacket to pull him close for a kiss.

Smiling into it, Keith took his hands out of his pockets and wrapped his arms around Lance’s waist. He slipped his tongue out to brush gently over Lance’s bottom lip before sliding slowly inside his mouth. It was just as pleasant as the kiss they’d shared on his front porch the night before after Pidge and Hunk had left, pressed just as close as they were now.

Lance moaned into it, hands sliding up his chest to curl into Keith's mullet. Yeah, this was absolutely still welcome if Keith was going to kiss him back like that. He lapped at Keith’s tongue, encouraging him.

Keith sighed, tightening his hold on Lance, trying to get even closer. He reveled in the combined warmth of their bodies, even though the desert air around them was hot and dry, causing small beads of sweat to roll down the back of Keith’s neck, hair curling even more over his collar. Lance tasted faintly of toothpaste and whatever he’d eaten for breakfast that morning, something sweet and fruity, mixed with a uniqueness that was all Lance. Keith couldn't get enough of it, and he tangled his tongue with Lance’s to chase the addicting combination of flavors.

Lance whimpered, tugging him inside without breaking the kiss. He pushed Keith against the door to close it, taking advantage of the rarely empty house to get as close as possible to his... to whatever Keith was. Friend with benefits? Boyfriend? His heart skipped at that possibility, but they'd only admitted to liking one another the night before. How much could really change overnight? Hopefully a lot.

He broke the kiss on a gasp, lips trailing down Keith’s neck. “Hi. You're- hi.”

“Yeah, hi.” Keith couldn't wipe the smile off his face, tilting his head to give him more room to explore. He rubbed his hands lightly up and down Lance’s back, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “So last night was fun.”

“Yeah.” His laughed spilled out, muffled against Keith’s neck. “Pretty sure Pidge and Hunk owe us money, there was some cuddling, and you’re really clingy when you're scared. We're watching more scary crap in the future. Oh. Also the kissing.” Lance lifted his head to give his lips a friendly peck. “That was pretty great too.”

Keith’s smile brightened through a light blush. “Yeah it was. It still is.” He leaned in for another short one, hands coming to a rest on his shoulder blades. “We should do something tonight, too.”

Lance grinned, sliding his hands down Keith’s sides to cup his hips. “Like what?”

“Well…” And why was _this_ hard, asking Lance to go out on a date with him? “We should, uh, go out to eat somewhere.”

Keith being shy was something Lance could definitely get used to. It was adorable enough that he couldn't resist teasing him. “Keith, are you asking me out on a date?”

“I- Yeah, I am. If you want to.”

Lance grinned. “Absolutely. If you're buying, you can pick. I'm easy.”

“You’re full of shit. You are the pickiest eater on the face of the planet,” Keith laughed. “It’s on me, but you're picking.”

“Ugh. Fine. I'll figure it out later.” Lance drew back and grabbed his sneakers from his cubby by the door. Already laced, he tugged them on by the heel. “So you probably don’t have treats, right? If we're going to catch a cat, we've got to bribe it.”

“Yeah, no I don't have any treats. I was gonna pick some up at the store.” Keith reached down and took Lance’s hand when he'd finished pulling on his shoes. “Maybe grab some catnip too. That should lure it out.”

“Probably. The only thing I know about catnip is what I've seen on YouTube. Accuracy’s debatable.” Lance gave his hand a squeeze and grabbed his keys off a hook to lock up as they left. “So lowkey, I've wanted to ride on your bike for ages. I've ridden my brother’s before, but that thing’s gorgeous.”

“Really?” Sure, the bike he'd gotten from Shiro was pretty, but it was just a bike. “It’s not very comfortable in the back.”

Lance grinned. “Guess I’ll just have to press close.”

“I'm sure you will.” Keith hopped onto the bike when they reached it, giving Lance time to climb on the back and wrap his arms around him. He turned around to look back at Lance, giving him a small smile. “You ready to go?”

Keith hadn’t been wrong about the back being uncomfortable. It was narrow and difficult for him to find a place for his long legs, but Lance pressed as close as he could and still give Keith room to navigate smoothly and it wasn’t bad at all. “Yeah! Let's do this.”

The bike was started with a long rev of the engine, Keith smirking when he felt Lance’s arms tighten around his middle as the vibrations sent tremors through their bodies. He hoped to feel more of that in the future, Lance wrapped around him, warm and soft. The only other person who had been on the back of his bike had been Pidge, and it certainly hadn't felt like this.

Keith navigated them quickly through the city, taking corners just a titch too fast, nearly scraping his knees on the pavement several times. By the time he pulled into a space in the parking lot of their city’s only pet store and slid off the seat, Keith’s hair was even more windswept than usual and Lance’s eyes were just a little watery at the edges. Keith grabbed Lance’s hand again, pressing a light kiss to his cheek. “So?”

As flustered from the kiss as he was the ride, Lance blushed. “So you're taking me on that thing as much as possible.” He pressed a laughing kiss to Keith’s lips. “Holy crow, Keith. That was amazing. You drive like you've got a death wish, and it's awesome.”

He smiled, admiring the light dusting of pink on Lance’s cheeks. “Yeah, well… It’s the freedom. I just get caught up in it, y’know?” Because he liked the reaction it elicited out of Lance, he leaned back in and kissed his cheek again before kissing his lips. “But I can totally take you on as many rides as you want.”

Knowing it was on purpose didn’t quell the blush but his smile brightened. “Be careful, pretty boy. You'll be spending all your money on gas.”

“It’ll be worth it.” Keith laced their fingers together and squeezed. “You’re worth it.”

“Uh.” Lance blinked, ducking his head and injecting some bravado into his voice. “I mean, yeah, obviously.”

Deciding he wouldn't embarrass him too much, even though Lance did it to him all the time, Keith pocketed his keys and tugged on their joined hands. “Come on. You can help pick out some toys and stuff, too.”

“What, are you adopting the cat now?” Pink still staining his cheeks, Lance let himself get dragged into the store. He was a little jealous, actually. He'd been trying to get a cat for months to no avail and Keith just happened to have one under his house. Of course.

Keith shrugged, beelining for the cat section. “If I can get it out from under there, why not?” He’d never had a pet before and the thought had honestly never even crossed his mind, but if the cat was there anyway and if he managed to get it out, he figured he’d might as well adopt it. Plus, he wouldn't be as lonely. “It _would_ be nice not to come home to a completely empty house every day…”

“We'll see how friendly the cat ends up being. What’re you gonna do if there's more than one?”

“I don't know. I don't think I can take care of more than one, and there aren't any no-kill shelters around here, so I wouldn't be able to bring them to one.” Just the thought of taking an animal to a place where he knew it would probably be put down made his stomach roil. “Maybe I can find some people who would want to adopt one too.” His own friends, perhaps. He looked up from a package of treats in his hand towards Lance. “Would you want one?”

“Without a doubt, buddy. I've been kinda sorta looking for a while. I'm the only cat person in my family, though, so it's hard.” He shrugged, turning the package over to read the ingredients. “But one cat at a time, right? These look okay.”

“Okay, cool. And I know Pidge has been talking about getting one, so if there ends up being more than two, she might take one.” Keith threw Lance's treats and the ones he'd been looking at in their basket on the floor, along with a container of catnip, and then picked it up, making their way over to the toy aisle. “What toys should we get?”

“Uh... hm.” Lance rubbed his thumb against the back of Keith’s hand as he studied the selection. “Kinda depends on how much stuff we can fit on your bike. If you do end up being able to keep it in your place instead of under it, I'll bring you by in my car and we can load it up. But I guess... some of those jingle ball things, a mouse, and something designed to be chased. Yeah?”

“Sure.” They tossed a small variety of them in, Keith grabbing another bag of food on their way to the checkout counter.

When everything was paid for, Keith helped Lance get situated on the back of the bike with the bags. He drove more safely on the ride back to his house, pulling into the driveway just after two. He helped Lance unload and then dragged him into the cabin, pushing him against the door with a kiss like Lance had done to him earlier.

Lance kissed back eagerly, tongue stealing into Keith’s mouth to lap at his taste. The cinnamon Lance was quickly getting used to still lingered from his toothbrush, the underlying taste something wonderfully, uniquely Keith. Hands gliding down his sides, Lance slipped them beneath his jacket to curl into his shirt. He wanted Keith as close as possible, in whatever way he could get him. It surprised him just how much he wanted, actually. He'd thought Keith couldn't possibly live up to the expectations a year of waiting could bring, yet Keith continued to surpass them. How was he even real?

Keith broke the kiss this time, but didn't pull away. Instead he pressed closer, fingers wrapping tightly around Lance’s slim hips. They were quickly becoming his favorite place to rest his hands, even though Lance’s body was basically one straight line, save for his shoulders. He pressed another brief kiss to Lance’s lips before trailing his down to suck at Lance’s neck, wanting to leave a mark on his skin.

Lance's breath caught on a moan, grip tightening. “Will you- I, uh, I like teeth.”

“O-oh.” That was a little surprising. Lance liked biting? Or at least being bitten. Surprising, but hot as hell, because Keith definitely had a thing for biting, but none of the people he'd been with previously - all three of them - had been into it. “Absolutely.” He trailed his lips back over the faint mark he'd made, baring his teeth against Lance's skin before biting down. He didn't know how much Lance wanted, keeping the pressure light until he heard Lance whimper above him, tightening the hold in his shirt, so Keith increased it until he'd just barely broken skin.

The sharp sting coiled through him, the confusing tangle of pain and pleasure leaving his knees weak with only the door and Keith’s body holding him up as his moan spilled out. The sound was loud, only a sample of how he'd be if they ended up in bed together. With the way Keith’s mark was making him feel, Lance was very hopeful that “if” was exchangeable with “when.” He wriggled against him. “Y-yeah. Oh, yeah. Like that, pretty boy.”

“Jesus, Lance.” Keith's breath blew hotly over the mark, Lance twitching in his hold. He kissed it once, then lifted his head back up to capture Lance's lips again, their tongues meeting in the space between their mouths on a moan. Keith could feel himself getting affected by all the attention and excitement, and he had to angle his lower half away from Lance's body so he wouldn't start rutting against him.

Lance broke the kiss, missing the pressure and having to hold back pleas to get him back, to move with him, against him. “Your mouth should come with a warning,” he panted.

Keith hummed, releasing his hold on Lance's hips and taking a step back. He reached up to push the hair away that was covering his eyes, smiling at Lance. “Yours is just as lethal, pal.” And totally addicting. Keith wanted to just stay there kissing Lance all day, to get them both off like they both so obviously wanted. “But we've got a cat to catch, so come on.”

“I know, I know.” Lance sighed, sidestepping to get around him, and pulled off his jacket to toss it onto the couch as he passed on the way to the kitchen. “So when do you normally see the cat? And it's seen you feed it, right? That might make it easier.”

Doing the same with his jacket, Keith followed him into the kitchen. “I think so. Like I said, it's really skittish, but I think I saw its tail disappear under the porch when I fed it one day last week.” Lance was reaching up into the cupboard where Keith had hidden the bowls the night before, and Keith couldn't take his eyes off of his back, muscles rippling under the tight fabric of his raglan. God, his… whatever Lance was - boyfriend, he hoped - was absolutely gorgeous. “The catnip should help attract it, too, so I'll set a small bowl out down in the sand and see if that does anything.”

“Hopefully. Should we google it and make sure?” Lance stuck one of the bowls under the tap, filling it with water. “Like, how long does it last and if there's an unsafe amount to give them?”

After a quick search on his phone, Keith took the container out of the bag and opened it. “It says just a couple of spoonfuls will be fine.” He grabbed another bowl and a spoon from the drawer and measured out two scoops. “It also says that the effects should only last about fifteen minutes, but after that it could take up to two hours for the cat to be affected again.”

“So we've got a fifteen minute window to catch this thing while it's high.” Lance grinned. “No problem.”

In theory, it did sound like it wouldn't be a problem. But fifteen minutes wasn't really a long time, and they had to actually catch the cat while it was high, not knowing what exact effects the catnip would have on it. The search Keith had done said that they could vary anywhere between the cat being a lazy, drooling mess on the floor to bouncing off the wall crazy. He really hoped it wasn't the latter. “Yeah, no problem. Let's go catch ourselves a cat.”

After almost forty-five minutes, it was clearly a problem. Lance yanked off his raglan and chucked it onto the single rocking chair on the porch, his tank sticking to his back, but losing the sleeves was a relief. The cat had been somewhere between drooling and hyperactive, bouncing around goofily when it wasn't scrambling under the house where they couldn't reach.

It was also just the silliest looking cat Lance had ever seen, so he'd spent more time just laughing at it than actually trying to catch it. But what else could he do? It was a black cat with little streaks of gray, tufts of white fur popping out of its ears and, well, the fluffiest tail ever. It seemed so sleek until a good look could be gotten of the tail. Then it was just ridiculous.

“So... this cat's crazy. I'm gonna use your crawlspace and get under the porch, alright? Maybe you just gotta get under there and say hi. Toss me the treat bag.”

Keith threw the bag to him, Lance snatching it easily out of the air, his biceps flexing with the movement and god- How could a person be that damn sexy? His arms and what little of his back Keith could see that wasn't covered by the tank were glistening with sweat in the hot sun, and Keith just wanted to get his hands on him, feel him flex and move under his fingers. He hoped if - or when - they ended up in a bed that Lance wouldn't be averse to lying on his stomach while Keith drove into him so he'd be able to see and feel those muscles.

He shook himself out of the fantasy when Lance disappeared under the porch, and he jumped down to look under it after him, holding his phone’s flashlight up for him to see. “Anything yet?”

“Not really. There's definitely more than one down here. I can hear them now.” So it was probably a mama cat. That made it a little more exciting, the thought of actually getting one of the kittens making his lips curve as he inched further in. It wasn't as stiflingly hot as he'd been expecting, the shade providing enough cool air for the cats to survive in the desert. It still wasn't good for them. They needed homes. 

He stopped when the oldest cat stepped forward, back arched and ears flat. He didn't have to be a cat expert to know not to mess with that, so waited quietly until the cat laid down with its wildly bushy tail flicking in suspicion. Lance shook a treat into his palm and stretched it out. “Hey, kitty cat.” Unimpressed, it took a few steps away to disappear into the darkness. 

Lance just pulled out his phone to shine a light towards the curious sounds. A little smokey-furred kitten that inched forward had his brows lifting, the only cat he could see until the funky-looking mama moved forward and grabbed it by the scruff. He bit his lip to hold back a laugh, not wanting to startle any of them. He waited with a patience that would've surprised most, but Lance knew when to lay low and when to go all out, so he quietly laid in the sand with the treat still in his palm. 

Eventually, the little gray one wiggled back into the light and started to make its wide-eyed way towards Lance. He stayed very still until the kitten made it close enough to sniff his fingers and steal the soft treat. He moved carefully while she chomped on it, stroking his fingers down her back, and she arced under the attention. He muffled most of the giggle against his palm, continuing his gentle strokes until the kitten fell to the sand in an easy sprawl and purred her acceptance. 

He very carefully slid a hand beneath her and, though she tensed a little, she didn't try to run away when he lifted her in a careful cradle and started to wiggle out from under the porch. Lance grinned when she started to purr, sitting down in the sand once he was out and cradling her to his chest. “So this one came right over. Didn't you?” He fed her another treat and lifted his bright grin to Keith. “One down, I have no idea how many to go.”

 _Oh my god, that's adorable_. Both the kitten and Lance. Keith dropped down into the sand alongside him, reaching out slowly so the kitten could sniff him before carefully petting her soft fur. “She's so cute.” The kitten mewed softly, eyes closing under the attention and the bright sun overhead. “Looks like she really likes you.”

“Yeah.” And Lance wanted to keep her. There were other cats to get out from under the house, but he really wanted to just pet and cuddle this one. “Do you want to get her inside? We can do this one at a time until we've got them all.”

“Yeah. It doesn't look like she's hurt or anything, so that's good.” Keith pushed himself up and held out a hand for Lance to take, helping to pull him up easily. “Hopefully the others will be more willing to come out now that we've got one.”

Nodding, Lance shifted his grasp on the wiggling kitten until she settled. “Is there a way to pen them in your bathroom or something without closing the door? I don't want to freak her out.”

“Uh, unless we put her in the tub, I don't have any other way to keep her in there without the door shut.”

“I think that'll work. You got an extra pillow you don’t mind ruining?” Lance made his way to the porch, leaving the bag of treats for Keith to grab. “Maybe a blanket to make it at least a little soft.” He could feel the blush working its way into his cheeks, but he couldn’t not take care of her. She was small and harmless and kind of sweet curled in his arms. So ready to spoil the little purring bundle, Lance smiled and shrugged in embarrassment. “Not that you have to. It's just a thought.”

Keith shook his head, smile fond. “Yeah, I've got a blanket we can use.” When they were inside, he walked to the small closet in the hall that housed his sheets and towels, grabbing the blanket and bringing it into the bathroom. “This should be alright.” It was just a little too small for the tub, but it covered most of the bottom surface.

Lance knelt down, carefully setting the smokey-furred kitten onto the fabric. She reared up on her hind legs, but couldn’t quite reach the tub’s edge. Laughing, Lance stroked her back. “Holy crow, you’re so little! I've never seen a cat with blue eyes before, have you? And she looks nothing like mama cat.” He held the mouse toy over her head, smile and eyes equally bright and wide as he played with her. And his heart was gone, just like that.

Keith stood back and watched them play, face splitting into a giant grin. “This one is obviously yours,” he commented, leaning against the door jamb. “But I'm curious to see how many more there are, and if they're all like this little one or different.”

Lance looked up, blush deepening at Keith’s expression. He'd never seen him smile like that. Sure, he smiled and when he laughed it was with everything he had, but the grin was new and full of fond amusement. “I- I don't know. They should all look like mom and dad unless that mama cat’s just rescuing stray babies.” With a shrug, he let the gray kitten capture the mouse and gave her a last stroke before rising. “But we should go see if we can get the rest. I don’t want to leave her alone long.”

“Definitely.” They went back outside, Keith grabbing the treats up, and worked on getting the next one out. Lance crawled his way back under the porch again, getting caked in more sand, and managed to lure another little kitten to him. This one was tiny and fluffy, white all over save for her ears, nose, tail, and small bands around her legs above her toes, which were all dark brown. She had eyes that were even bluer than the little one currently stuck in his bathtub, and Keith couldn't resist stroking his fingers through her long fur.

“She’s a little fluff ball, oh my god.” Keith laughed and helped Lance back up again. “Were there any more that you could see?”

“Yeah. This little bobtailed one that stole a treat and skittered away. I nabbed this little girl when she went face-first in the treat bag, and I think I can get the bobtail if you take her.” Lance passed the puffball with a grin. “They're definitely not all the same breed.”

“Cool.” Keith held the kitten gently; she was a little on the skinny side, but it was hard to tell with all her fur. No wonder she attacked the treat bag. He’d have to get more food so they'd all be fed properly, since he hadn't realized he was feeding four - or more - cats under his porch. “Alright, go ahead and grab bobtail and then we can bring them into the bathroom.”

“Yeah. My baby's probably missing her family.” Lance grinned, shimmying back beneath the porch. He was nearly run over by a new kitten, cringing as it shot by his head in a flurry of fur. “Whoa, okay.” It tackled the bobtail, Lance smiling as they tumbled playfully end over end. When it caught sight of Lance, it scampered away to hide beneath mama cat. She wasn't hissing at him any longer, watching him quietly as he scooted closer to the bobtail.

Mostly white, the little shorthaired kitten had little patches of calico color here and there that Lance could see better as she inched closer. She rubbed her head against his palm, sniffing him curiously as he wiggled back out. “Okay, so I think there's one more kitten and that's it. Mama cat finally showed up and there's only one more with her, and it seems a little... crazy.”

Keith laughed, handing the little ball of fluff over to Lance. “Okay, well, if you take those two inside, I’ll crawl under and try to get the last kitten. You're dirty enough already anyway.” He smirked, gaze sweeping up and down Lance’s form appreciatively, lingering on his exposed shoulders caked with sweat and sand.

“I know, trust me. And I can definitely think of better ways to get dirty if you're interested sometime.” Lance fluttered his lashes, somehow managing to flirt with an armful of kittens. “But I'm borrowing your shower once we get the kittens out of it.”

Oh, Keith was definitely interested, but he didn't want to rush anything between them. He'd done that once and it had ended terribly for both parties involved. No, he wanted them to take their time; there was no reason to jump into bed just yet while they were still trying to figure out what they were. “Yeah, of course. And, for future reference, I'm absolutely interested.”

“Good to know. For future reference.” For all his flirtatiousness, Lance was alright with taking whatever this was just as slow. He hadn't pined for Keith - as much as he'd deny that word if asked - as long as he had just for the relationship to fizzle out. Besides, they were friends. More now, but Lance held onto the friends he had with both hands. He didn't want a relationship to go so fast that his grip slipped. “Gonna drop these guys with their sister, and I'll come back out. Don't let the kitten hurt you, pretty boy.”

“I won't.” Smiling, he watched Lance take the two kittens inside, and then turned to the crawlspace, getting down on his hands and knees in the sand. He made his way under, the light from his phone guiding the way, until he came across the small hole that the kittens had been kept in. It was empty, so Keith shined his light around, stopping when it landed on the mama cat, huddled up against the foundation of the house.

“Hey there,” he muttered to her. She hissed at him quietly, fur standing on end as she crowded closer to the wall. It didn't look like the other kitten was near her, so he left her alone to look around some more. There was a sudden movement to his right, and he turned just in time to see a streak of orange fur running towards him. The kitten jumped on his head, her short claws digging into his hair before she hopped off and scurried over to the wall to hide beneath her adoptive mother cat.

He sighed, inching closer and holding his hand out with a treat in his palm. “Come on, m’not gonna hurt you.” The kitten stayed stubbornly next to her mom, staring at him with wide, pretty light brown eyes. “You’re cute, but really starting to annoy me. Come _on_.” Miraculously, she placed one paw out, then another, slowly making her way over. When she got close enough, she grabbed the treat, but didn't run away again, and Keith smiled, picking her up carefully. “Good kitty.”

Finally, he crawled back out into the sun, holding her close to his chest as he made his way inside the house. She was even smaller than the other kittens, orange tabby fur barely concealing her tiny frame, and Keith was immediately in love. He brought her into the bathroom where Lance was knelt on the floor supervising the other kittens in the tub. “I got her,” he announced, reluctant to hand her over to Lance, but eventually placing her gingerly in his outstretched hands.

“Oh, wow, she's so light. She must be the newest one.” Lance smiled, brushing his fingers through her fur gently before setting her in the tub with her adopted siblings. All girls, from what he could tell. He wasn’t exactly an expert on cats, but he knew one. “So I texted Allura. She's on shift tomorrow morning, so I'll bring my car over and we can take them by to get them checked out. And pro-bono shots because she's a goddess, and I don't have a problem asking for free stuff.”

“That’s really nice of her. We’ll have to do something for her.” Keith sat next to Lance on the rug, watching the newest addition to the pile of kittens run around with the others, slipping on the porcelain and careening headlong into the fluffy white one. He laughed, crossing his arms on the edge of the tub and resting his chin on top, trying not to think about how domestic this all seemed. “Do you think Hunk would like a kitten?”

“His sisters have been asking for a pet, and he's going to end up taking care of whatever they get. So yeah.” Lance tilted to the side, leaning against Keith. “They're all kind of skinny, though. It might be a week or so until you can actually let go of any of them.”

“That’s fine. I've been unknowingly taking care of them for a little while anyway. What’s one or two more weeks?” Lance’s weight felt really nice against his side, even though he was filthy and getting sand all over the place. He couldn't find it in himself to be annoyed, though, not right now. “But I’ll definitely need to get some more food for them. That one bag I got today won’t be enough to last that long.”

“Yeah, it's not really for kittens either. We'll get whatever Allura tells us to get.” Lance grinned when the bobtail tumbled over the fluffy one, swatting at the one he'd claimed. He picked up his phone to take a picture of the tiny tabby, sending it to Allura to go with the others he'd taken. “She's giving me their breeds, by the way. And we still need to get mama cat. Otherwise, she's just gonna keep collecting kittens.”

“True. We should go back out and try to get her.” He turned his head to look at Lance's phone. “Has she said what breeds the ones we’ve caught so far are yet?”

“Yeah.” Lance turned the screen towards him as he scrolled up. “Fluffy is a Birman. The bobtail is actually a bobtail, but a Japanese one. And mine is a Russian Blue. The ones I sent her of mama cat are all kind of blurry, but she's thinking a Turkish Angora. I'll send her a better one if we can get her out from under the house.” There was a ping and Lance scrolled down. “Oh, cool. The new one’s an American shorthair. She said that these are all just best guesses until she can see them in person, but come on. What she doesn't know about cats, Coran does.”

Keith chuckled, turning his gaze back to the cats. “Yeah, that's true.” He took one arm off the tub, reaching in to pet down his tabby’s back. She meowed at him, just a weak little sound, but pushed her head into his fingers to seek more attention. “This one is mine.”

“Of course you'd pick the crazy one,” Lance teased, even while his stalked and tripped over the plush mouse toy in her excitement. He grinned, petting her before rising. “Come on, pretty boy. One more cat to go.”

Nodding, Keith got up and followed Lance out of the bathroom and to the front door. “Are you gonna crawl back under or do you want me to?” he asked, fingers wrapping around the handle.

“I can go back. I'm already covered in sand, so-” He broke off when Keith opened the door, the cat waiting very patiently right on the doorstep. She rose when the door opened and weaved easily through their legs to get inside and locate the kittens. “Uh. Okay. Mission accomplished.”

Keith blinked, having half a mind to at least shut the door so she wouldn't be able to escape. “Sure.” He and Lance watched her sniff out the scents into the bathroom, and they followed her in, watching as she jumped up into the tub to gather the kittens around her. She sniffed at each one of them, licking their faces before settling on top of the blanket with them. It didn't look like she was going to try to take them anytime soon, and Keith sighed in relief. “So that was easy.”

“She's gotta be domesticated, then. A feral cat would’ve wigged out.” Lance crouched, reaching into the tub carefully. The angora eyed him, but didn’t hiss and bumped her head against his palm when he scratched her behind the ear. “Yeah, we're not gonna hurt you and your adopted babies,” he murmured, fingers gliding down her back. She mewed at him, so he rubbed the top of her head fondly. “So what should we do with them now? Feed them, probably.”

“Yeah, I'll go grab the bowl and get some fresh water. They've gotta be thirsty, too.” It had been over twelve hours since he'd had the bowls outside; he hoped the mama cat was able to find something for them to drink, but Keith still felt really bad for not putting the bowls out the night before. He left the bathroom and filled the bowls with food and water, carrying them back and setting them both in the tub. All of the kittens immediately went for the water dish, making him feel even worse. “Damn it. I should have put those bowls back out last night.”

“Hey, it's okay. You didn’t know. And you've been doing a pretty good job keeping them in food and water. You barely keep yourself fed as it is, Keith.” Lance nudged him, offering a smile. “And they're okay now, right?”

“Yeah.” Keith sat down next to him again, ignoring the dig on his own eating habits, and watched while the kittens lapped up the water with their tiny pink tongues. The fluffy one moved away first, turning enthusiastically towards the food bowl and just about climbed into it in her excitement. “They're all so small and cute.”

“I know! Oh my god. That fluffy one is totally Hunk’s. Can't you see it?” Lance laughed softly to avoid disturbing them, slipping an arm around Keith’s waist. “All fluff and no bite.”

Keith leaned into the embrace, chuckling quietly when the bobtail headbutted the fluffy one out of the way to get some food. “And that one is Pidge’s.”

“Without a doubt.” There was a little splash, both looking over to see Lance’s cat in the water bowl. The shorthair had gotten wet in the process, looking very disgruntled by the situation. “Aw. We picked the right cats.”

“Yeah we did. Your cat is a menace.” Keith elbowed him lightly in the side, turning a small smile his way. “And mine’s the best.”

Lance gasped, but couldn’t keep up the offended expression for long. He muffled his giggles in a playful kiss. “If Blue likes water, she'll be easier to bathe and keep clean. Automatically makes her the best cat.”

“Blue?” Keith smirked. “You've already picked out a name?”

“Well, yeah.” Lance reached out to pick his splashing kitten up, setting her down on the blanket so she could shake out and splash the rest of the gathered felines before she trotted happily to the food to grab a mouthful of the bits for herself. Absolutely the best cat. “She can't just not have a name, mullet.”

“I guess not.” He wasn’t planning on not giving his kitten a name either, but he hadn't put any thought into it yet. His gaze slid back to her, still glaring at Blue as she shook herself off. Now that he had a better look, her fur was more of a darker orange with brown streaked in some spots, eyes still that pretty light brown. But he couldn't call her Orange or Brown, those just sounded weird. And he realized he was following Lance's theme of naming her after a color without even thinking about it. So, “Red,” he stated confidently. “Yours is Blue, so mine is Red.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” And it didn't surprise him in the slightest. Keith’s _bike_ was named Red, for crying out loud. But Lance liked the parallel between the names, each of them picking their favorite colors. He shivered a little, goosebumps rising as the sweat drying on his skin was chilled by the air conditioning. He snuggled closer to Keith for body heat. “So are we naming the rest of them after colors? Placeholders until Hunk and Pidge get them?”

Keith snaked his arm behind Lance's back, holding him close and smiling. “If you want. But I don't know what other colors we could use that work as names.”

“Yeah. Yellow and green sound kinda... dumb.” Lance hummed, watching Blue bounce back to Red and swat her until she moved to the food bowl. Atta girl. “Ouro and Verde, on the other hand...”

Keith agreed that those definitely sounded better. And he at least recognized Verde from his required high school Spanish classes, but didn't know what the other word was. “What language is that first one? And what does it mean?”

“It's Portuguese for Hunk. Means Gold.”

“That's really cool,” Keith complimented, noticing the slight blush that dusted Lance's cheeks at his words. Huh. That was something he'd have to explore during their time together. He leaned over and kissed the pinkened skin, slightly warm under his lips. “Have you thought about where you wanna eat dinner? I'm still taking you out on that date now that the kittens are safe inside.”

“Mm... Kinda?” The little kiss to his cheek had only flustered him further, Lance dropping his brow to Keith’s shoulder to hide. “I almost just want to grab something quick and bring it back here to watch a movie or something. Y’know, just us? Without restaurant chatter and with the ability to kiss you anytime I want.”

If it was going to be anything like last night, getting to have Lance in his lap again, and yeah, kissing him whenever he wanted, then Keith was totally on board with that idea. He could always take Lance out another time. “That sounds like fun. What are you in the mood for?”

“I dunno.” He'd given it zero thought, mind on the cats and just enjoying Keith’s company. “Are you actually hungry now?”

“Hm, not right now, no.” But he knew that after all that time spent in the sun chasing after kittens and the ride back into town to actually find somewhere to grab food, and then the ride _back_ , he would absolutely be hungry. And he knew Lance would be, too, whether or not he admitted it. “It's gonna take a while to go get food, though, so it'd be better to go soon.”

“That's true. I'll think about it in the shower, which I still absolutely need so we should figure out where we're putting these guys.” He wanted to keep Blue with him, but it wouldn't be fair to keep her from her family. “I'm not sure if letting five cats roam around your non-cat-proofed house unsupervised is the best idea, and even you can't watch them all without some kinda containment.”

Oh yeah, Keith hadn't thought about that. “Um… I can keep watch over them in my bedroom. I wouldn't be able to keep them from going under the bed, but there's nothing underneath it anyway. It’d be more manageable than letting them loose in the living room.” And he’d be able to sit on the floor and play with them more freely than while they were in the bathtub.

“Okay. I'll help you with transport.” Lance kissed him lightly before rising since the kittens were back to playing and mama cat had eaten her share. She still needed a name too, but they'd work on it. He reached down, beyond delighted when Blue shifted to her hind legs to get picked up. “That's my girl, hell yeah.” He swept up Ouro too, leaving the other two kittens for Keith. “I still can't believe this crazy looking cat found all these kittens. I'm really curious where they all came from.”

“Yeah, me too.” Keith reached in for the last two kittens, Red practically flinging herself at him while Verde looked very uninterested in everything that was going on. He shook his head, laughing at their antics as he walked them into his room, mama cat right on his heels. The kittens were set down on the floor in front of the bed, Verde immediately scampering underneath to explore while the others just sat there and took in the new scenery. “Alright, I think I've got this for now.” Keith sat cross-legged on the floor with them, Red climbing into his lap; he had to smile at that. “Towels are in that hall closet. I'm gonna grab one after you since you weren't the only one crawling in the sand today.”

“It was for a good cause.” Lance was very tempted to ask Keith to join him, but kept it under wraps for the moment. “You look really cute surrounded by kittens.”

Blushing, Keith ducked his head, and gave Red a light scratch behind the ear. He wasn’t used to being called pretty or cute or any other word synonymous with them, especially coming from someone as pretty and cute and every other word synonymous with them as Lance. Keith waved his hand half-heartedly at the door. “Yeah, yeah. Go take your shower and then you get to be babysitter.”

“A dream come true.” Lance grinned, crouching to give Blue a pat when she rubbed against his foot. “You take care of Keith, little girl. I'd better still have a boyfriend when I get back.” She purred, flopping onto her side, and Lance winked at Keith before walking out, heart stuttering in his chest more than he wanted to admit because he'd just called Keith his boyfriend. To his face. He'd put a label on them. On whatever this was. Boyfriends. Holy crow.

But there were far worse things to be than Keith’s boyfriend. He grabbed a towel and stepped into the bathroom to empty the tub and switch on the water for a quick shower, and hoped that Keith thought there were worse things than being Lance’s.

Keith sat staring at the closed door until he heard the shower turn on, and shook himself out of his momentary daze. Lance called him his boyfriend. His _boyfriend_. He picked Red up out of his lap with both hands, holding her in front of his face. “Oh my god, Red, this is really real.” She swatted at his nose and he laughed loudly, sure Lance could hear it even over the shower, and then stretched out onto his back.

He set Red on the floor next to him, but she crawled back onto his chest and curled up into a little ball underneath his chin, purring softly. He felt one of them, who could only be Ouro, worming her way into the space between his arm and his side, seeking his body heat. Verde was now attempting to climb up the side of the bed, but kept falling after getting a few inches off the ground, and Keith just let her do her own thing. Mama cat was sleeping peacefully on the floor a couple feet away, which meant that the weight now settling on top of his stomach was Blue.

Smiling, Keith lifted the hand not currently occupied by a kitten to pet Blue, feeling her purr under his fingers. He let his eyes slip shut for a few minutes, just enjoying their presence, and didn't hear the door when it opened again.

“Nope. No, no, no. This is not-” There was a shutter click because Lance couldn't allow the moment to pass without a photograph. “This is not allowed. How are you _this_ mcfreaking adorable?”

Keith had opened his eyes as soon as he heard the camera go off, blushing even more than before. “Oh my god, delete that picture right now.” But he was laughing, and Red meowed at him while Blue was shaken from the tremors of his body. “Lance, come on. You wouldn't embarrass your boyfriend like that, would you?” Except he totally would, and Keith knew it.

Lance smiled at him. He was okay with boyfriends, relief settling in comfortably with the warmth he felt just seeing him surrounded by kittens. “It's your new contact photo.”

“Great.” He sat up slowly, cupping a hand under Red to hold her. Ouro scurried off to mama cat - and god, they really needed a name for her - to curl up next to her while Blue bounded over to Lance. He bent down to scoop her up, cradling her to his chest, and Keith's heart melted. “Okay, I'll admit, she is really cute. But Red’s still cuter.”

Lance held her up to his cheek, two pairs of blue eyes blinking at Keith. “Um. No. Blue wins.”

“Let's just agree to disagree.” But damn it, Lance and his cat _were_ really cute. Keith pushed himself up, perching Red on his shoulder with a hand on top to keep her steady as he walked up to Lance. He stood on his toes, leaning in for a kiss, but bypassed Lance's mouth and instead pressed his lips to the top of Blue’s tiny head.

“Wow, I didn't know you were a tease. That's pretty messed up.” Lance gave Red a light pet. “Don't stay with him, Red. He's mean.”

“Says the guy who just walked into my room with nothing but a pair of jeans on,” Keith retorted, sliding his unoccupied hand up Lance's torso to curl over his shoulder, still damp from the shower. “And _I'm_ the tease?” He finally leaned in and pressed his lips to Lance's briefly. “No, that title belongs to you.”

“Sorry for not wanting to put on the disgusting tank or go all the way outside for my shirt.” Lance cupped the back of Keith’s neck with the hand not occupied with the kitten, and nibbled lightly on his lower lip. “Feel free to get me back for it after your shower.”

Keith smirked, stealing another kiss before pulling back. He'd already been planning on it. He took Red down from his shoulder, holding her in front of his face again. “It's Papa Lance's turn to watch you now,” he said to her, and she swatted his nose again. He laughed, handing her over.

“You are just the biggest dork, and I have no idea why I like it so much.” Lance stole another kiss, giggles muffled in it. “But if I'm papa, are you daddy?”

Keith's face burned bright red. “N-no! I mean, yes? Just-” He shoved lightly at Lance's shoulder, careful not to jostle the kittens. “Shut up and let me go take my shower.”

Laughing, Lance sidestepped to let him by. “Don’t worry. I have a lot of kinks, but daddy isn't exactly one of them.”

“Thank god.” Keith huffed out a laugh. “Alright, I won't be that long. Try not to get into too much trouble while I'm gone.” He smiled, and then left the room, closing the door behind him to leave Lance alone with the kittens.

He looked at the kittens, Verde still very intent on making her way up the side of the bed. “Not getting into trouble sounds boring, huh?” As if she understood, Blue mewed and rubbed the top of her head against the underside of his chin. He smiled.

Lance set her and Red on the mattress, Ouro swatting at the blanket draped over the edge until she was picked up too. Then he helped Verde up, mostly letting her climb, but keeping her from falling again. “There we go. You are so Pidge’s cat.” 

Amused when she mrowled at him and started to explore the bed, he laid across it. He rolled onto his side so the other three were tucked against his torso, their fur a little ticklish against his skin, but not worth moving. Blue bumped her little muzzle against his nose before swiping it with her sandpaper tongue. “Baby,” he cooed, petting her side. His hand drifted to Ouro, gliding through her soft mass of fur and settled atop Red’s back just to feel the rise and fall of her breaths. He’d never fallen so hard and fast for anything in his life, but these kittens had managed to steal his heart within seconds.

He propped his head up in one hand when mama cat jumped up and found a home on Keith’s pillows, and Verde squeezing through the small space between Lance’s arm and his neck to join her siblings. He grinned as he watched them play with one another, using the ends of the blanket to join in, teasing them with the corners until they pounced, one at a time, and then draping the blanket over their bodies. Red was especially excited by the game, springing out from under the blanket and headbutting his chin everytime. Yeah. Keith had picked the crazy one. It suited.

Keith opened the door to his room quietly once he was done with his shower, just a towel around his waist because he'd forgotten to grab a clean pair of pants before he walked out. It wasn’t intentional in the slightest, but knew that Lance wouldn't let him hear the end of it. Pausing with the door ajar, he braced himself for the onslaught of teasing that was sure to come.

When he pushed the door completely open, though, the scene that met him made him stop with one foot inside. Lance was laying _shirtless on his bed_ , propped up, muscles flexing slightly while he played with the little balls of fur. Keith at least had the forethought to bring his phone with him, snapping a picture and smirking when Lance looked over at him. “Payback.” He walked up to the bed, bending down and capturing Lance's lips in a kiss.

Oh. Lance had been ready to protest the picture, a teasing comment on the tip of his tongue, but the words had died with his brain. He was in a _towel_. A mcfreaking towel was the only thing keeping his hands away from skin. Slick, warm skin. Lance whimpered into the kiss, a hand lifting to rest above Keith's heart. He wanted to slide it down, get that flimsy barrier out of his way and touch until Keith was gasping his name. He broke the kiss, cheeks flushed with want, and went against every single one of his instincts by pushing Keith back. “If you don't put on pants right now, I'm gonna break a promise I made to myself.”

Swallowing back a plea, Keith nodded. He was tempted to just let Lance do what he wanted, but he'd made a promise to himself as well, and didn't want to compromise their relationship. Reaching out, he scratched behind Red’s ear before pulling back and walking to his dresser. He grabbed a pair of boxers and jeans out, blushing when he turned back around to find Lance watching him.

“You know, if you thought _I_ looked adorable surrounded by kittens, then _you_ look like one of those fucking fireman models posing for a calendar.” Keith let his gaze wander, sweeping over Lance's broad shoulders, down to the waistband of his jeans riding down and exposing the jut of his hipbones, to his long legs stretched out obscenely on top of his sheets. _Fuck, he really did look like a damn model_. “I bet you'd be like… July or something.”

It was hard not to react to the praise. It was one of his favorite things and arousal was already a hard ball in his gut since he couldn't resist perusing right back. Keith’s build was softer, but only to a point. His hair seemed longer when it was wet, reaching his shoulders. The occasional water droplet beaded from the ends to roll down his skin, and Lance followed one down the path of his torso. He wanted to chase it with his tongue, taste those pecs and feel Keith's heart race beneath his mouth. He wanted to mouth at his abs, leave bruising little marks on them, trace the lines with fingers and tongue until they quivered beneath the attention. He rolled onto his back, bringing Blue with him because he needed something to keep him in place or he was going to cross the room and hit his knees. “Keith, put your pants on or come over here so we can be a whole year of PlayGirl.”

Keith laughed, though his blush deepened, and he shut his dresser drawer with a soft thud of wood on wood. “Alright, I'll get dressed, but only because I don't want to crush any of our kittens.” He left the room to go quickly change in the bathroom, purposely remaining shirtless until he got back. He marched right back over to the bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress and leaning over to pick up Red. “So have you finally decided what you want to eat?” he asked, steering the conversation to a safer subject.

Lance just smiled slowly and let his gaze linger in clear appreciation, laughing when Keith glared at him. “I really like when you try to look mad, but you're actually blushing.” He sat up, Blue cradled against his chest. Ouro tried twice to get over his thigh to climb into his lap, so he gave her a helpful nudge on attempt three. “Anyway, I figure we can keep it simple. Subs or burgers, whatever we hit second so I can stay on that bike of yours a while.”

“I'm okay with that.” Keith couldn't resist leaning over to press another kiss to Lance's lips, bringing a hand up to brace himself on one of his shoulders. The skin under his fingertips was heated even as the AC blew out of a window unit across the room, and Keith gripped tighter, to both Lance and Red, as she'd started squirming in his hold.

If being in bed with him made Lance feel even a fraction of what kissing him did, he'd be worth the wait. He was smiling when it ended, their lips staying close. “I guess Red doesn't like you paying more attention to me than to her.”

“No, I guess not.” He chuckled, the sound muffled against Lance's lips, stealing one more kiss before leaning back. Red immediately settled back down in his grasp, purring and pushing closer to his chest for warmth. “You're a brat,” Keith admonished lightly, petting her with his other hand.

“More evidence that Blue's the best. She knows the value of kissing. Don't you?” He fell back again, grinning when she licked his nose and rolled off to the mattress to go pounce on mama cat. The angora only pushed a paw against her head to send her rolling back off the pillow. “So what are we doing with these guys when we leave? Because, y'know, they're going to pee eventually and you know what we didn't get at the store?”

“Yeah, well, we didn't exactly have a lot of room on the bike. I guess we can keep them in the bathroom, and I can put down some old rags or towels.” Keith shrugged. “Unless you have a better idea?”

“That actually _was_ my idea, but we can stop at the store again for those training pads. A box of those should fit on the bike for now, and tomorrow we'll get the rest when I've actually got my car.” Lance winced when a tiny set of claws dug into his abdomen and picked up Verde to hold her above his face. “Yeah, you're Pidge's.”

Laughing, Keith stroked his fingers down Verde’s back while Lance held her. “That'll work. We should get going then.”

“Yeah.” He had to pluck Ouro out of his lap so he could rise, letting Keith have Blue after a moment of internal debate. He'd felt guilty about not leaving them water for one night; he wouldn't hurt her. “You don't have a box or a crate or anything, do you? It looked like mama cat dug them a hole, so if we could get them in a space like that, maybe they'll just sleep the whole time. This is probably more activity than they're used to.”

“I think I've got a cardboard box or something in the shed we can put a towel in for them.” He stood up, carefully rearranging Red and Blue in his arms. “I can go check really quick.”

“Okay, cool. Grab what towels you don't mind ruining first and I'll arrange them. Come on, mama cat.” The angora rose, stretching regally before leaping down to pad after them. Lance grinned, bumping his hip against Keith's. “So I'm thinking if we let Allura name her, she'll take her. I mean, she hasn't had one since her last one died, but I know Shiro wants one and they'd love mama cat here. I'm just hoping she doesn't ruin our color coordination.”

“Yeah. She'll probably go along with it, though.” Keith managed to grab a towel from the closet on the way into the bathroom, and then set the kittens down in the tub, their little paws getting damp from the water still puddled there. “Alright, keep an eye on them. I'll run outside.”

When Keith returned with a box and a few more blankets, the two of them fashioned a little bed of sorts and left it in a corner. They left it for mama cat to test and decide if it was worthy of housing the kittens, both leaned against the tub and one another. “Y'know what I realized?” Lance smiled at Keith's questioning sound. “So we've known each other for about a year and a half, and I think it's safe to say we've been friends - like real friends - a little over half that time. But this is the longest stretch of time that you and I've actually spent together on our own and not fought. Not counting when you told me I have more ass than brain when we were cat chasing because I'm nice enough to blame the frustration of cat chasing and, hey, you were checking out my ass. 

“Anyway, the point is, in all that time I've known you, this is the first day where I can actually just...” He shrugged. “I like you, Keith. Like I really, genuinely like you for the weirdly cool dork you are.”

Keith smiled, knocking his shoulder against Lance's. “I like you too, even though sometimes you really are a shitlord.” He laughed at Lance's mock offended expression. “But it's part of your stupidly attractive charm, so it's okay. I like everything about you.”

Lance cupped Keith's cheek, sealing their lips together in a kiss that left them both warm and tingling. It also distracted them both long enough for mama cat to herd all the kittens out of the tub and into the box, so Lance considered their hidey hole to be a successful move. “Come on, pretty boy. Let's grab some food and spend the rest of the night making out on the couch and playing with kittens. Best first date ever, obviously.”

Keith laughed breathlessly, rising from the tub and tugging Lance up with him. “Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Open up [this link](https://goo.gl/mg7fGD) to find pictures of all the kittens we picked out for everyone. <3
> 
> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 02: 2/9~~  
>  Ch 03: 2/16  
> Ch 04: 2/23  
> Ch 05: 3/2  
> Ch 06: 3/9  
> Ch 07: 3/9


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hover translations available for those on a computer. **Translations for those on mobile can be found[here](https://goo.gl/GkqulH)!**

Lance strolled into Keith’s cabin without so much as a cursory knock before nine the next morning. It had meant waking up unreasonably early for a Sunday, but it was the only way to get into the vet office before things got busy and maybe he wouldn’t mind another day spent with his boyfriend. “Keith?” he called, carrying an empty picnic basket into the kitchen. He had to step over what looked like a baby gate, but was more than likely going to mean a headache for someone when they found a piece of fence missing. Lance's lips twitched. No one could claim that Keith wasn’t resourceful.

He set the basket on the table before crouching down, ankles being attacked by eagerly mewing kittens. His was sopping wet, which only made him laugh. “Go for another swim in your water dish, Blue? That's my girl.” He rose to grab a dish towel to dry her off, quick to crouch back down to give each kitten attention, and grinned widely when mama cat deigned him worthy of her presence. He scratched her behind the ear, feeling very much like the cat lady he'd teased Keith for being.

Oh well. They were cute.

Keith came into the kitchen from cleaning up the bathroom, leaning against the wall and smiling at Lance's back. “I could get used to this.”

Lips curved, Lance glanced back. “Anytime you want a sleepover, I'm in. It'd save me the drive, that's for sure.” He rose and wandered closer to cup Keith's hips and pull him close. “Morning, pretty boy.”

“Hi.” He uncrossed his arms from over his chest to wrap them around Lance's waist, tiptoeing up the short distance to seal their lips together.

Lance sank into it with a hum, fingers sliding up his sides. Waking up early wasn't so bad when he had this to look forward to. His taste was still spiced with the cinnamon of his toothpaste, a taste Lance was very quickly learning to associate with his boyfriend. His completely gorgeous boyfriend in his little cat-filled cabin. His hands eventually reached the soft mullet, tangling in the dark strands to keep him there, right within kissing distance for as long as possible.

Never mind that they'd spent most of the previous afternoon locked together if they weren't making sure the kittens were still safely corralled. A thousand of these wouldn't be enough when it was with Keith. Even though the slow pace was probably going to kill him, it was a nice way to go.

Keith broke the kiss but kept their faces close, gazing into Lance's beautifully blue eyes. “As much as I’d love to make out all day, we have kittens that need to see the vet.” He pressed another smiling kiss to Lance's lips, keeping it brief. “And then shopping again.”

“Oh my god, we're being responsible. What is this?” Lance grinned, giving him a squeeze before starting to turn away only to freeze because the kittens had surrounded their feet. He had to move carefully to avoid stepping on any of them, especially Blue who seemed to want to be exactly where his steps landed. “Okay, that's enough.” He crouched to scoop her up and deposited her in the basket. “Before vet, we're doing coffee because I'm literally dying. Your mouth helped some, but it won't stave off death forever.”

“Alright,” Keith agreed, bending down to grab Verde and Ouro up, setting them in the basket before going back for Red. He held onto her a little bit longer, kissing the top of her head and then putting her in with her adopted siblings. “You're driving anyway, so wherever you wanna go is fine by me.”

“The perks of driving.” Mama cat didn't want to get picked up, but she leapt onto the chair and then the table to climb into the basket by herself. Lance accepted it with a shrug, hefting the basket to pass it to Keith. “If this works, I'm just leaving it with you. We never use it anyway and it's a lot cuter than a boring pet carrier.”

“Okay, cool.” He stuck his arm through the handle with the open end facing outward, four little curious heads poking out and sniffing the air even though they hadn't gone anywhere yet. “Oh my god,” Keith breathed, reaching with his other hand to pet each one of them. “How are they even real.”

“Now you know how I feel when I see you.” Lance grinned, taking his free hand. “Come on. We're gonna be late for our technically unscheduled appointment.”

The not-quite-a-compliment had him blushing all over again. “Let’s go then.” He laced his fingers with Lance’s, letting him tug them through the house. Keith locked up when they got onto the porch and then loaded into the car, the basket perched on his lap, facing the window so the kittens could look out while they drove. “You know, I'm with you on the whole needing coffee thing. I know I usually get up early, but Sundays are for sleeping in.”

“Right? My whole week’s gonna be thrown off now.” Lance drove the way he did when his younger siblings were in the backseat, wary of jostling the kittens and scaring them out of future car rides. For Keith, he kept his music at a level that allowed for actual conversation. Driving was almost boring except for the view every time he glanced to the right. “You're cute for a cat lady.”

“Not a cat lady.” But he destroyed his own argument by reaching in and petting the kittens again, making soft shushing noises at Red without even realizing it. His face flushed again when he saw Lance looking at him out of the corner of his eye, and he sat back in his seat.

“Yup. Cute cat lady.” Lance turned into the drive-thru and picked up his phone to pull up the rewards app he had installed. “What do you want?”

“Large black coffee with five sugars and a pump of vanilla syrup.”

“ _Five_? Are you trying to get diabetes?” Lance shook his head. “Iced?”

“Hey, I like my coffee sweet, there's nothing wrong with that. And yeah, sure, I'll try the iced. Please.”

There was sweet and then there was ungodly. Keith was toeing the line. Lance rolled down his window, waiting through the welcoming spiel before ordering. “Yeah, I'm gonna do two large cold brews. One with extra sugar,” he couldn't say five, “and a french vanilla swirl. The other with almond milk and caramel. Yeah.” After it was repeated back, he scooted forward. “If it's not sweet enough, I'll ask for sugar packets. But it'll be sweet enough. It's the cold brew.”

Keith shrugged. “Okay. It should be fine, then.” He rearranged the basket in his lap so his hand would have more room to hold the cup when he got it. “I've never had iced coffee before.” He believed that the only way to properly drink coffee was hot, so was a little apprehensive about ordering his iced.

Lance gave him a sidelong look. “You're a damaged soul, Keith. But I'll overlook it since you're about to have it now. Hot coffee goes stale. Cold brew stays alive.”

“I'll believe it when I see it,” he countered, smirking back.

“When you taste it,” Lance corrected, holding his phone out the window to get scanned by the server.

“You need your receipt?”

“Nah, I'm fine.” He took the drinks, passing Keith his and setting his own in the cup holder. He passed him a straw next, rolling up his window as he pulled up to the stop sign. “What do you think, mullet?”

Keith had taken a tentative sip, the cold still somewhat surprising him even though he’d expected it. But it was _good_. He took a longer pull from the straw, dragging up some of the granulated sugar that had settled at the bottom and crunching in between his teeth as he swallowed the vanilla-flavored joe. “This. Is life-changing. I'll never go back to hot coffee.”

Lance leaned over to kiss his cheek. “I told you. Try mine. It's basically a snickers without chocolate.”

Keith set his cup down in the other cupholder, picking Lance's up and taking a gulp. His eyes closed in a melodramatic display of euphoria. “How is it possible that this is even sweeter than mine? You're ordering me one of those next time.” He stomped down on the temptation to just steal Lance’s drink, setting it down and going back to his own. “I'm thoroughly convinced that iced coffee is the best.”

“You’re welcome. So glad I could open your eyes.” Smug, Lance took a sip from his drink and pulled back onto the road. “Cold brew’s the best, though. Iced coffee is just hot coffee poured over ice, but cold brew’s made stronger because it's _designed_ to be cold.”

“Well, congratulations. I’m sold.” Keith downed nearly a quarter of his in one gulp, eating the sugar happily when he got it through his straw. The kittens were all too interested in what was happening, peeking their heads up through the other end of the picnic basket, so Keith held the cup down for them to lick at the water condensing on the plastic. And then blushed again, because damn it, he really was a cat lady. “Do you know if Shiro will be stopping by this morning?”

Holy crow, he had the cutest boyfriend in the entire world. It was actually going to be really sad when they had to split up the kittens. But at least they were going to people they saw all the time. “No clue, but it wouldn't surprise me. He's always there.” He drove one-handed, steadily draining his coffee as they cruised closer to the veterinarian’s office.

They pulled into one of the spaces in the parking lot a few minutes later, Keith handing off the basket to Lance so he could get out of the car, but insisting on taking it back. Lance teased him again, laughing as he held the door open for him and his armful. “I could have opened the door myself,” Keith muttered, but was grateful that he had such a sweet and thoughtful boyfriend who actually did stuff like hold the door open for him. It made him even more hopeful for the future.

Keith carried the basket up to the counter, Lance following swiftly behind. “Hi,” he said to the girl - Cindy, according to her name plate - sitting at the computer. “We’re here to see Allura.”

“Okay,” she responded cheerily, smile wide and bright for it being so early on a Sunday morning. “What’s the name?”

“Kogane,” Lance supplied, slinging an arm around Keith’s waist as he signed them in on the clipboard on the counter. They'd been under his house and were staying there, so Lance considered them his cats. So it was his appointment.

She typed away on her keyboard with cleanly manicured nails, clicking a few times before looking up again. “Keith? Four kittens and one adult feline?”

“Yeah.” He shifted the basket to the other hand, the kittens getting restless now that they’d stopped moving. “They’re supposed to be getting shots and checkups.”

Nodding, she clicked a couple more things on the computer screen. “Yes, it looks like Miss Allura has blocked out a portion of her schedule this morning. If you’d take a seat, I’ll let her know you’re here and she’ll take you all back.”

“Thanks.”

Her grin widened - seriously, what was she on that made her so chipper? - as she stood up from her chair. “It’s my pleasure.” She disappeared through the side door, and then Lance led him over to the chairs against the wall.

“Somebody’s had way too much coffee already,” Keith mumbled, propping the basket in his lap again.

“Bet she gets ten sugars,” Lance mused, plucking Blue up from the basket since he hadn’t gotten to hold her in a while. He rested his cheek on Keith’s shoulder, smiling at her as she purred and batted at his jacket.

“Menace…” Keith shook his head fondly, laughing at her. Red stuck her head out, staring wide-eyed up at him. “Aw, _Red_ , c’mere.” He reached in, cupping her in his palm, and pulled her out, perching her up on his shoulder again. She seemed to be able to balance there pretty well, snuggling into his neck under the collar of his jacket and mewling quietly.

When Verde and Ouro popped their heads out, Lance laughed. “Shit, we started a thing. We can’t have them all out, Keith.” He reached out to scratch Verde behind the ear when she tried to jump out. Ouro just started to mew as if the louder she got, the more likely they’d be to take her out of the basket. It was so Hunk. “Oh my god.”

“Okay, fine.” Keith took Red down and put her back in the basket, heart breaking at the look in her eyes. “No,” he told her. “No, don’t do that.” Pouting, he turned to Lance. “If I have to suffer this, you do too. Put Blue back in here.”

“But you had access to them in the car.” Lance held Blue up to his cheek, the kitten swatting at his hair. His own giggle ruined his melodramatics. “Oh my god, fine. You ruined it, Blue. You’re going back in.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before settling her back into the basket. She mewed pitifully, draping herself over a disgruntled Red.

“They’re perfect.” Keith laughed, watching the kittens play for another minute, before the door opened and his name was called. Both he and Lance followed Cindy to one of the back exam rooms where Allura was waiting for them. “Hi, Allura.”

“He- You brought them in a basket? That’s... Lance, don’t sit on the counter.”

His feet were already off the ground, so he landed on the counter and stayed. “What? Sit on the counter? Okay.”

She sighed, taking the basket from Keith to set it on the examination table. “So hello, Keith. You found them all beneath your house? Do you have any idea how long they’ve been there?”

“Yeah, they were under the porch.” He watched as she opened one end, the four kittens poking their heads out again. Blue was trying to escape, using Red’s face as a step before she slipped back down inside. “I don’t know how long for sure, but it’s been a little over a week since I noticed.”

“Alright.” Since Blue seemed the most eager to be out, Allura lifted her first and was a little surprised by how quickly Lance was at her side. “Lance... I need some actual space to examine her properly.”

“Okay. But, y’know, she’s- Don’t- She’s mine. And she’s really just kind of sweet, so yeah. Just want to make sure she’s okay. That’s all.”

“Lance, come on.” Smiling, Keith grabbed his arm, pulling him just far enough away to give Allura some room, but still allowing him to be near. “She’ll be fine.”

“I know. Obviously.” Lance huffed, taking Keith’s hand to lace their fingers, and tried very hard not to fidget too much while Allura went through the first few basic examinations, checking her temperature, pulse, and respiration. “So, uh, where’s Coran? Thought he usually handled this kinda stuff.”

“He’s with Shiro, actually, and we’re not behind yet so I can take a few minutes to do this. He’ll be in shortly to help with the rest, I’m sure.”

“Thank you for doing this, by the way.” Keith watched as Allura set Blue to the side and picked up Ouro next since she still hadn’t stopped mewing. They were all getting their exams done before shots, and hopefully it wouldn’t take too long before Coran could come in to help administer them. “I really appreciate it.”

“It really isn’t a problem. We had a cancellation, so the timing was lucky.” Allura hummed, jotting down a few notes before reaching into the basket for Verde since she was trying the hardest to get out and Red had vanished into the back of the basket to hide with mama cat. “I’m going to weigh them all when I perform the rest of the examination, but they all seem rather light. Are you going to be able to follow a regular feeding plan if I give you one?”

He nodded. “Absolutely. I didn’t realize I was feeding more than one the first time I bought food, so they’d only been getting about a bowl and a half a day…”

“That’s alright. It’s a good thing that they were being fed at all.” She checked Verde’s teeth, humming, and jotted down more notes. “I don’t think any of them are any older than eleven weeks, so the adult food isn’t going to work for them.”

“Yeah, we were already planning on hitting the store after this.” Lance shrugged. “So just give us a list.”

Allura glanced over at them, noting their joined hands with a small smile. “Of course.”

Worried about all of them, but mostly for Red, Keith leaned closer over the exam table when Allura got to her next. “This one’s mine,” he told her, clinging onto the leg of the table so he wouldn't reach out for his kitten, whose gaze had found him again while meowing softly. “We think she was the last one collected.”

“Mm.” Allura went through TPR with her and left it at that for the moment since she seemed nervous, her pulse quickest. “She’s certainly the thinnest from what I can tell so far, but none of them are showing any obvious symptoms of diseases. I think the right diet should be all they need. Possibly a few supplements, but I won’t be able to tell what they need without more extensive tests.”

“Like what?” Lance wondered, giving Keith’s hand a squeeze.

“Blood tests.” At their expressions, she laughed. “Don’t fret. I didn’t say I’d be drawing their blood right now. I need fasting tests, and they’re too thin to be fasted. Only if they don’t respond to an adjustment in diet.”

Keith visibly relaxed. “Okay. We trust you, Allura.” He spoke for both of them, knowing Lance did too, or else he wouldn't have texted her about this in the first place. It still made him nervous, the idea of their kittens needing more than just the vaccination needles stuck in them, but he also knew it was necessary if he wanted them to be strong and healthy. “Is there anything we should be looking out for until then?”

“I’ll give you a list,” Allura assured him. “But the most common things are breathing irregularities and bathroom issues. Now where is- oh!” Mama cat stuck her head out of the basket, kittenless and suspicious, and she didn’t seem very keen on being in a vet’s office.

“We kinda think she might be domesticated? She seems comfortable inside Keith’s house, but she’s pretty skittish whenever we move the kittens anywhere.”

“Well, that certainly makes sense if she’s adopted them. Cats prefer to be within groups, and she may have either lost kittens of her own or just going through a phase.” Though her growl rumbled, she allowed Allura to pick her up and set her on the table. She went through the same initial observation with a resigned air that had Allura smiling. “Yes, she’s clearly gone through this before. She could possibly be a runaway.”

“I was kind of thinking... abandoned?” Lance guessed, frowning when she looked back at him. “I mean, it’s the only thing that really makes sense. She’s too far out of town to have made it under Keith’s porch by herself. Not safely.”

“That’s a possibility. It could be another factor in her skittishness.”

There was a knock at the door before it was pushed open, Coran and Shiro stepping inside. Brief surprise flickered over Shiro’s face before he smiled warmly. “Hi, guys.”

“What’s up?”

“Hey, Shiro,” Keith greeted, squeezing Lance's hand. “Hi, Coran.”

The kittens were growing restless on the table, mewing and swatting at equipment or one another. Verde wiggled as if to jump off the table, but Allura nudged her back and stroked her fur to soothe the fidgeting. “Hello. Did you manage to get the retriever settled?”

“Dog and owner,” Shiro assured her. His prosthetic one just a little stilted in its motion, he folded his arms to help curb the urge to reach out and pet the array of cats. He knew better than to disturb the middle of an examination. “So these are the cats you found under your house?”

“Yeah. The mom cat was collecting these kittens and hiding with them under my porch.” Keith watched Red closely, who was starting to act nuts again, headbutting Ouro and turning to harass Blue when she wasn't getting a reaction from the fluffball. “Lance came over yesterday and helped catch them. I still have no idea where they all came from.”

“We named them already.” Lance shrugged, smiling at Shiro’s slanted look. “Well, we named the kittens - Blue, Red, Ouro, and Verde. We just didn’t really know what to do for mama cat.”

“I was actually hoping you would adopt her. Or find someone who could.” Keith gave Shiro a pleading look. “Red is mine, Lance is keeping Blue, and Pidge and Hunk are taking Verde and Ouro, but they don't know it yet. I just… It would be too hard for me to take care of two cats, and I don't want to bring her to the shelter.”

“Well...” He looked to Allura, who was wide-eyed.

“That's a wonderful idea!” Coran decided, giving Allura a smile. “The cat must be compassionate to have fostered four kittens on her own in a desert.”

“That- that is very true.” But she hadn't owned a pet since her last cat had been put down.

“We'll think about it,” Shiro decided. “We don’t want her to have to go to a shelter either.”

“Yeah, alright.” Lance considered it as good as an agreement. “But she needs a name. We can't just keep calling her mama cat. All the rest of them are named after colors, so...”

“They’re named after our favorite colors,” Keith pointed out, looking back at Shiro. “Is there a language where the color black sounds like a name?”

Between him and Allura, there were easily a dozen languages they were both fluent enough in to find something. Shiro smiled. “Following Spanish and Portuguese, Italian would be _nero_.”

Allura laughed softly, her and Coran having split the kittens between them to give them a more thorough teeth to tail examination. “She doesn’t look very much like a Nero,” she pointed out, jotting down Red’s weight on her notes. It was too low, but she had no doubt that Keith and Lance would be able to get all four kittens healthy. Though it was difficult to tell at first glance, if one kept looking it was easy to find the soft hearts beneath a temper and a loud mouth. “She must be a Turkish Angora, possibly purebred with how prominent her ears and tails are. Black in Turkish is _siyah_.”

Lance blinked. “Why do you even know that?”

“Lance.”

He glanced at Shiro with a small shrug. “What?”

“I spent time in Turkey when I was a girl,” Allura offered. “Colors and numbers have stayed.”

“‘Siyah.’” Keith tried it out, looking down at mama cat sitting regally atop the examination table. She turned her head to stare at him and he smiled. “I think it fits.”

“It does.” When Allura ran her fingers gently down the cat’s back, smile soft, everyone knew she and Shiro were keeping her. But with her being so protective of the kittens, it was agreed by the end of the examination and shots that the family of five should stay together until the kittens were healthy enough to go home with their owners.

Lance was grinning as he bounced into the parking lot, lists from Allura and Coran in hand. They were all disease-free, just varied in degrees of malnourishment. Verde was, unsurprisingly, the healthiest of the kittens and her meal plan was a little more relaxed than the other three. Red was the worst and the apparent youngest, her regime including formula that Keith would have to feed her special.

“Okay, so now we hit the store and then we can go home and feed everyone and whatever.”

“Yeah.” Keith tried not to put too much thought into Lance throwing around the word “home” in conversation; he knew he’d just meant the cabin, _Keith’s_ home, but it still stuck in his mind. Smiling, he climbed back into the passenger's seat, cradling the basket close and pulling Lance down by his shirt for a kiss before he could shut the door. “Thanks,” he murmured against his lips, “for doing all of this.”

“It’s not like I’m gonna let you fend for yourself, buddy. Even without the kissing involved, I wouldn’t. You’re- You know, you matter. To me.” He shrugged, fingers tangling in Keith’s mullet to give his hair a tug to try and keep the words light. “Plus, Blue’s in that basket. I have to make sure she’s taken care of.”

Heart stuttering in his chest, Keith dragged him in again, fusing their mouths together. “You matter to me too, Lance.” _He_ was the one failing at keeping the conversation light, so quickly let go of Lance's shirt and settled back into his seat, blush burning high on his cheeks. “O-okay, let's go.”

“Yeah.” Lance smiled, cupping his cheek briefly before drawing back and closing the door for him. He walked around the front, dropping into the driver's seat and starting the car up. “Do you want to go on an actual date tonight?” Sundays were normally booked for him, but he could miss a night with his family for this. For Keith.

“Definitely.” The kittens were all asleep in the basket, only the occasional shifting of limbs making it move in Keith's lap. He smiled down at them and then turned it on Lance. “Did you have anything specific in mind?”

“I'm thinking that Korean place up on 4th.” They'd gone more than once with the entire group, and they were quick. “I might actually try some of the weird stuff you normally order.”

“It's not weird, it's traditional.” He resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at Lance. “Are you gonna let me teach you how to use chopsticks this time?” He'd tried to several times before, but Lance had always brushed him off; he was hoping things would be different now.

They were, but only because Lance didn't think he'd have a mini-meltdown if Keith touched his hand. He grinned. “If I suck at it, you're not allowed to laugh.”

Keith couldn't promise that he wouldn't, but with Lance's long dexterous fingers, he didn't think Lance would suck at it. “You’ll do fine.”

“Yeah, yeah. We'll see if you're a good teacher, pretty boy.” Lance slid a hand off the wheel to take Keith's. “If I starve, it's your fault.”

“You're such a drama queen,” Keith laughed, lacing their fingers. “You're not gonna starve. I'll feed you myself if I have to.” And why was that imagery so appealing to him?

Lance slanted him a look, lips curling into a smirk. “Promise?”

“Sure. I'll make sure your food doesn't touch on the plate. You want me to cut it up for you too?” he teased. He'd feel bad, but Lance seriously was like a picky child when it came to eating, and it was hard not to find it actually endearing.

“You're such an ass,” Lance laughed, giving his hand a squeeze. “I'll hold you to it, though. Don't test me, mullet.”

Keith smiled. “I don't doubt that you’d actually make me do it, but I'm not taking it back, either.” God help him, he _would_ feed Lance if he'd ask, and that left him feeling a weird combination of affection and arousal.

Lance lifted Keith’s hand to his lips once he'd parked at the pet store so the kittens could come inside. Spanish never left his house unless it was for memes or a particularly funny moment, but he let it slip for the moment. “ _Eres dulce_. Come on. I've got the lists.”

Blush returning at the gesture and the softly spoken Spanish, Keith waited until Lance made it around to his side to open the door for him. “The Spanish sounds really nice coming from you.” Of course, he'd known that Lance spoke it, but he'd never heard it before. “Will you use it more?”

“ _Cualquier cosa por ti, chico lindo_.” Lance took the basket and Keith’s hand, grinning. It wasn’t a habit for him, but he was willing to spice his language up. “‘Anything for you.’”

Keith smiled back, climbing out of the car and leaning up to kiss Lance's cheek. “Thanks, babe.” It slipped out before he could think about it, pink flooding his cheeks again. “Uh… yeah, thanks.”

Oh, he'd absolutely speak more Spanish if it meant cute petnames. His own cheeks coloring, Lance turned his head to brush their lips together. “Let's see how far on this list we can get before the kittens wake up and want attention. You're pushing the cart.”

“Okay.” When they got inside, Keith grabbed a cart and led them over to the cat section. So he wouldn't forget again, he picked up a litter box, a scoop, and a bag of litter before turning his attention to the list in Lance's hands. Allura and Coran had made some recommendations for what they should get by way of kitten food and supplements, which brands were the best and which to avoid written in the margin. Keith also made sure to grab an oral syringe for the formula he'd need to give Red.

“Do you think we should get some more treats for them?” he asked Lance, perusing the bags that claimed they were _Just for Kittens!_

“Probably.” Lance hummed, checking the brands they were supposed to avoid, and picked up a bag to check the ingredients. Allura had said to use treats sparingly while they were this young for training, especially when introducing the litter box, but that didn't mean they couldn't get an extra bag.

“I think I'm gonna grab some things I just want to take to my place, so I can set up a space for Blue when I can bring her there.” He was going back and forth on getting her a collar. Allura had said there shouldn't be a problem with her wearing one, and he knew at his house his family would need some sort of signal that she was nearby and a belled collar would be perfect, but would she like it? Would it annoy Keith while Blue was still with him? “Ooh, we should get them those climbing scratch post things. Verde would probably love it.”

“Definitely. I wanna look at collars, too, for when Red gets a little bigger. Maybe something cute with a little bell on it.” Keith wanted to spoil the hell out of his kitten, especially since she was already just as obsessed with him as he was with her. “Are you gonna get one for Blue? We could get them matching ones…”

Holy crow, problem solved, and in the most adorable way ever. “Yeah! As much as Blue bounces around, I'll never know where she's at otherwise. And, yes, matching. They'll be adorable.”

“ _More_ adorable,” Keith corrected with a smile. He followed Lance around with the cart for a bit, letting him collect everything that he wanted to have at his own house for Blue. They went down the aisle with the collars last, after selecting a scratching post small enough that if Verde climbed it she wouldn't be able to hurt herself getting down. Keith stared at the wall of collars, almost overwhelmed at the selection before one caught his eye.

Reaching up, he pulled it off the hook to examine it more closely. It was a pretty, royal purple, with small silver rhinestones and a tiny bell in the front, and looked slim enough that it wouldn't be too bulky around their kittens’ necks. He turned to Lance, holding it up so he could see it. “What do you think?”

It was purple. Lance smiled slowly, taking the collar and running it through his fingers. Red and blue. It wasn’t one that he would've grabbed, really, at least not at first. The sparkle of the rhinestones would've nabbed his attention eventually. Leave it to Keith. “It's pretty much perfect. Pun absolutely intended.”

Keith groaned good-naturedly, but kissed his cheek again, grabbing a second one off the wall and tossing it into the cart. “Did you wanna look at anything else?”

“Uh...” They had well over one hundred dollars in their cart, having veered off the list here and there for extra toys and now collars. It was a good thing Coran had slipped them a coupon on their way out. “Yeah, I think I'm good. Are we going halvsies or do you need me to get it?”

Right. Money was a thing they had to worry about. Keith pulled out his phone to check his account, blushing at the amount. “Um, I can spare twenty if you can get the rest?” He felt like an idiot, and also like he was taking advantage of Lance despite the offer. “Or we could put something back…” Like the collars that were really more of an impulse buy, but he really didn't want to have to give those up.

“Nah, keep your twenty. I got it, pretty boy.” Lance pressed their lips together, aiming to soothe. He knew Keith survived on what scholarships and loans he could grab and the occasional odd job someone could throw his way, but he also knew that Keith hated it. “You're taking care of my baby, basically. Not to mention Pidge's and Hunk's. They're gonna owe me for this.”

“Thanks, Lance.” Ducking his head, Keith pushed the cart into a free checkout line and started to unload it on the counter. “Are they still sleeping?”

“Probably. I don't hear Ouro.” And he wasn't going to open the basket to check just yet, not in line. “Hang on, don't put all the just-me stuff up yet. I'm gonna do two transactions. The collars are part of the just-me stuff, by the way. Both of them.”

Keith looked up at him, hands freezing halfway into the cart. “You're buying Red’s, too?” he asked, voice barely above an embarrassing squeak.

“Yeah.” Lance reached out and brushed Keith’s bangs to the side. It was more of a tender move than he was normally known for, but he couldn’t help it. “She and Blue have to match.”

Smiling, he set Lance’s stuff to the side, along with the collars. “I- Thanks. You know, you're really sweet, Lance.” He’d never gotten to experience this side of Lance before, but he loved it and never wanted to be without it. Without Lance.

“What, me? Pssh. I’m- No, I’m not. Whatever.” Cheeks pink, Lance waved a hand in dismissal and started to help him load things onto the belt. “Let’s just get this stuff home and play with the kittens. I’m thinking we heat up leftover burrito stuff for lunch.” 

“That sounds great.”

They finished checking out and hauled everything back to the car, and by the time they got settled into their seats, the kittens had woken up. Blue stuck her head out, tiny mouth opening wide on a yawn and eyes squinting shut. Keith grinned and reached out, scratching behind her ear. “Hi, there.”

Lance squeaked, not even embarrassed by the sound because his kitten looked so cute. He reached out to stroke her fur, rubbing a finger beneath her chin to start her purring. “That's my girl. We're gonna try your collar on when we get home, yeah.”

Verde popped up next, trying to climb out of the basket. Keith lightly shoved her back down, having to stop Ouro and Red after. “So they’re all awake now. And they're all trying to escape.” He laughed, spreading his hand over the opening to try to stop them from jumping up. They were still about twenty minutes away from his cabin, though, and he wasn't sure how he was going to manage to keep them safely inside the basket until they got there. “Ow!” Keith glared into the opening of his fingers, Verde smirking up at him. “You’re such a brat!”

Lance laughed. “I'm telling you, we paired these cats perfectly.” Ouro started to mew, scratching at the side of the basket in her efforts to escape. “They're seriously distracting, though, oh my god. Throw some treats, close the basket while they're distracted.”

“Yeah.” Keith reached into the backseat to grab a bag of the new treats they bought, throwing a small handful in and shutting the lid. “We need to hurry up and get them home so we can let them out to play.” His stomach rumbled, reminding him that the only thing he’d consumed all day was coffee. “And I’m hungry.”

“Same.” Lance pressed on the accelerator, no longer worried about not waking the kittens up since they’d managed well enough on their own. “We’re almost there.”

Lance cut the rest of their drive in half, pulling into the driveway behind Keith’s bike a few minutes later. Keith climbed out of the car to bring the basket and a couple bags inside, leaving Lance to grab the rest of their loot out of the backseat. When they got inside, Keith shut all of the open doors and set up the piece of fence he’d stolen from his neighbor in the doorway to the kitchen. “Okay, we should be able to let them out in the living room now.”

“Yeah.” They sat on the floor, Lance flipping the basket open. Siyah was out first, Red’s scruff in her jaw, and looked very nonplussed at having to spend so long confined to a basket. “Sorry, geez. Come here, Ouro.” She and Verde were plucked out next so he could get his hands on Blue. He lifted her, rolling onto his back. “ _Mi gatita linda_ ,” he cooed, Blue wiggling and mewing happily in his hold.

Keith smiled at them, crouching down to hold his hand out for Red. Siyah let her go after a second of staring at him, and his tiny kitten bounded over to him, pouncing into his palm. “Hi, sweetie.” He cuddled her close before setting her up on his shoulder again, her claws digging into his jacket to help steady herself. He set the scratching post up for Verde and Ouro, the bobtail immediately running over and trying to climb up.

Ouro batted the bottom of the post before skittering back, rump lifted as if in preparation to be attacked. She inched forward slowly and swatted at it again. Pleased when there was no retribution, she hopped onto her hind legs and began to tear into it with gusto.

Laughing, Lance rolled onto his stomach, Blue perching on his shoulder blade and swatting the hair at the nape of his neck. “Come on, Blue. Hit the post, not me.” He plucked her up and set her down in front of it, folding his arms and resting his chin atop them as he watched her hesitate. She looked up at Verde, who was making her steady, shaky journey upwards, and her ears twitched. She wiggled, fur puffing up as she pounced. “There we go. Oh my god, scratching post was a good idea.”

“Yeah it was.” Keith watched them play for a minute until Red started to fidget against his neck. He placed her on the floor and she took off at a sprint, leaping at and tackling Blue, the two rolling around for a few moments before Blue managed to pin Red down. Thinking that he'd have to break them up, Keith leaned down with a hand outstretched, but Blue was licking all over Red’s face and head, grooming her. “Oh god.” That was, by far, the most adorable thing he'd seen them do yet.

“I told you I have the best cat.” Lance sat up, reaching a hand out for Keith. “Come here, pretty boy. I haven’t kissed you in ages.”

He let Lance tug him down the rest of the way, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of him. “You kissed me like half an hour ago.” It was probably closer to an hour at this point, but Keith couldn't help but tease, even if he’d been missing Lance’s kisses for that length of time.

“Ages,” Lance insisted, cupping his cheeks. “ _Tu boca es una dulce tentación_ ,” he murmured, leaning forward to claim his lips.

Keith returned the kiss eagerly, slipping his tongue into Lance's mouth to dance with his. He rested his hands on Lance's shoulders, fingers gripping tightly and pulling. He leaned backwards until he was laying flat on the floor, Lance atop him similar to how they were on the couch on Friday.

Lance broke the kiss on a laugh, hands sliding into Keith’s mullet. “You’re adorable.” And really gorgeous lying beneath him. Wondering how he’d look with his hair splayed on a pillow, he sank back into the kiss. His tongue slipped into Keith’s mouth on a soft sound, seeking the taste he was steadily becoming addicted to. 

Sliding his arms around Lance's neck, Keith moaned into it, dragging him closer and tangling their legs together. The floor wasn't the best place for making out, the wood hard and unforgiving against his back, but Lance felt incredible on top of him, and he wasn't quite ready to move yet. He trailed one hand up into short brown hair, grasping at the strands while his other one found purchase on Lance's shoulder blade. He moaned again when Lance shifted slightly, and started suckling on his tongue.

Lance shifted again, grinding their groins together on a low groan. He was so warm beneath him, and it would be so easy to up the heat. Just reach down and touch where he wanted to touch. There was so much lean muscle to explore. His fingers itched to find his skin, to travel downwards and tug his zipper, so they tightened in his hair and tugged.

“Lance,” he gasped, breaking away, head thudding onto the floor. This was a bad idea. Keith had to get himself back in check before they could continue to just rut against each other like teenagers, but he still wasn't able to stop the slight bucking of his hips upwards.

One hand left his hair to grasp his hip, wanting to keep his movements going but also needing him to stop. The kittens were just a few short feet away, and they were on the floor. Lance absolutely didn’t want their first time together to be on the floor. He wanted- His mind stuttered when he started to sit up. Keith’s face was flushed so prettily, hair mussed, and eyes dark with the want he was fighting. “Oh, god, I want you inside me,” he breathed, and that wasn’t what he'd meant to say at all.

“F-fucking _hell_ , Lance.” Keith bucked up again and was able to feel himself twitching in his jeans. God, he wanted that too. He just wanted _Lance_ and anything he'd give him. “You can't-” He broke off on another moan, both hands finding Lance's shoulders, torn between pushing him away and pulling him back down to finish what they'd started. “You can't just _say_ that, oh my god.”

“I- I know, but- It just, like, came out?” Lance couldn't make himself get up after all, settling back down and hiding his face in the crook of Keith’s neck. “I do want it, though. I want you.” He found one of Keith's hands, taking it off his shoulder to lace their fingers. He wanted the support, the more harmlessly romantic gesture different for him. Everything about this relationship was different for him, right down to the way he felt about Keith.

He was important. He loved him in the way he loved Pidge and Hunk and Shiro, would do anything for any of them, but there was something more here. There had always been more with Keith, and he wanted this relationship to be the same. He always rolled into bed quickly. He didn’t like to say no to people and, yeah, sex was fun. Sex with Keith would probably be incredible, if kissing him got his blood to swim like this. “I- I suck at going slow. I never go slow, so I don’t know what I'm doing. But I'm trying because you matter. I want our first time to be special because you matter.”

“I-” Keith sighed, finding the mark he’d left on Lance’s skin and pressing a sucking kiss to it. He’d never exactly gone this slow, either. Which is why he believed his last couple of relationships had fizzled out: they’d gotten to the fun part before getting to know each other and then just sort of fell apart. But then again, Lance was different. He already _knew_ Lance, had been friends with him for over a year now. And in that time when his enormous dumb gay crush was forming, Lance had somehow managed to find a place for himself in Keith’s heart. He hadn't realized until now that he was already beginning to fall in love with Lance.

So… maybe they wouldn't have to wait. Not for as long as they were waiting now. Keith squeezed Lance’s hand, sliding his other hand to the back of Lance’s neck. “Friday,” he muttered, in lieu of a response to Lance’s babble. “Stay the night with me. I- I want it to be special too, but anything with you is already special because it's _you_ , Lance.”

Lance shivered against him. “Friday,” he echoed. It gave them a week to let the anticipation build. He kissed Keith’s temple with a sigh. “I'll stay.”

Keith tightened his hold, kissing a path up Lance's neck to his jaw and finally to his lips. It was chaste and sweet, but held the promise of _more_. “Good. Right now we have kittens, and ourselves, to feed. I have to figure out how to mix up Red's formula.”

“Yeah, I'll help you.” But he stayed where he was, just holding onto him for another minute and listening to his breaths and the sounds of meowing nearby. He could get used to that, to everything being with Keith could mean. It was just a little scary how much he wanted to be used to it, how much he wanted the simple domestic things that came with staying the night. Beyond just sex, he wanted to wake up beside Keith and lounge in bed cuddled close until they had to feed themselves and the kittens. Sleep-tousled hair, barefoot in pajamas, morning breath kisses - he wanted all of it. 

Embarrassed by his own train of thought, he rolled off Keith and immediately got a faceful of fur. He plucked up the offender, unsurprised that the insistent mewing was from Ouro. “What, did you hear the word food? Do you understand what food means now? You're gonna be so chubby once Hunk gets a hold of you, wow.” He sat up, pressing a kiss to the top of the kitten's head and watched Blue and Red streak across Keith's chest, chasing one another under the coffee table. 

Keith turned his head to watch them as they ran in circles, but wasn't fast enough to turn back when they broke the cycle and rushed back over. Red smacked into his forehead, Blue skidding to a stop in front of his nose. He laughed and reached to pick them up, both squirming in his hands and trying to swat at each other. “Am I gonna have to separate you two?” They ignored him as he sat up next to Lance, still throwing their little paws out. Shaking his head, Keith dumped Blue in Lance's lap, holding Red in front of his face so she could bat at him instead. “Come on, brat. Let's get you fed.”

Lance grinned, plucking Blue up so she could rub her head beneath his chin. “You're not a brat, are you? _Mi gatita dulce_ , yeah. Best cat.” Ouro placed a paw on his chest, mewing, and he bounced her gently. “Aw, baby, you can be a best cat too.” He smirked at Keith, rising. “You can save Verde from her pedestal and deal with your brat.”

“Yeah.” Keith glanced over to where Verde had finally gotten to the top of the post, perching there and gazing haughtily at all of her siblings. “Okay, _Pidge_ ,” he chuckled, standing up. He scooped her up, ignoring her annoyed mews, and followed Lance into the kitchen. Siyah was right behind them, jumping up into one of the chairs and then onto the table to watch them closely. Keith set Verde down on the floor, letting her explore while he opened the syringe he needed to feed Red. “Where’d you put the formula?”

“With their supplements.” Lance opened a narrow cabinet, pulling down two bottles and the box of formula. When it was empty, she shouldn't need anymore if they were lucky. He set Blue and Ouro down on the floor since the latter was trying to sniff the bottles, and opened one to get out four treat-like vitamins. When he crouched, Ouro bumped her nose against his closed fist and mewed curiously. “I know you smell it, hang on. Come on, Verde.” Her ears twitched, but she didn't make a move towards him. “Alright, then you're not getting one,” he warned. He opened a hand to let Ouro and Blue take a vitamin, grinning when Verde darted over for one too. 

He gave her a scratch before rising with the fourth, holding his palm out to Red while Keith read the instructions on the formula box. She sniffed it cautiously before stealing it from him, and he stroked her gently. “There we go. We'll get these guys healthy in no time.”

Keith smiled and couldn't resist leaning in for a short kiss, Red getting irritated with them and clawing at Keith's shirt. “Holy crap, okay. If you put a hole in my shirt, you're going in timeout.” But he knew that was a lie the moment she looked back up at him and blinked. He finished mixing her formula and poured it into the syringe. “I'm gonna feed her on the couch where it's more comfortable.”

“Okay.” Lance kissed him again to spite her, and dropped a dish towel on his shoulder. “In case you spill crap, here. I'll feed these guys.”

“Thanks.” He took her out into the living room while Lance measured out a bowl of food for the rest of them, settling into the couch cushions. The towel got draped across his lap and he set Red down to sit on his thigh; she rose up onto her hind legs and put her paws on his stomach, stretching up to sniff at the syringe in his hand. “Yeah, this is for you.” He gently pushed her back into a sitting position, petting down her back as he brought the end to her mouth. She mewed softly before starting to lick up the small amount of formula Keith dispensed for her. “Good girl,” he praised, pleased to see that she was eating with no complaints.

“Hey, all cats fed and-” Oh. Oh, no. Shoulders sagging, Lance could feel his heart fall right out of his chest and hop on over to Keith. Yeah. He was done. There was no way to combat that much sweetness, not when he'd already accepted that he did love Keith on some level. Now it was every level, and all because he was feeding a kitten with all the gentleness in the world. There was a small smile curving Keith’s lips, love in his eyes - Lance's soul would probably depart his body if Keith ever looked at him like that. He'd never be able to survive a killing blow as precious as that.

And he had to wait until Friday to touch him, to show him. There was something really wrong with that. He wanted to show him now, to lay him down and make slow, careful love to him until they were both being stars. 

Cripes, he never thought he'd feel such a wealth of tenderness for Keith. Oh, there was definitely still the part of him that just wanted to absolutely own him - rough and fast, gripping hands and nipping teeth - but fuck. He also just wanted to take his time and explore, and that was a new urge. That was just for Keith and, apparently, so was Lance. Damn it. He worked up a smile when Keith looked up, heart beating so loud and fast it was a wonder he couldn't hear it. “Uh. How's she doing?”

Keith could see even from across the room that Lance’s hands were shaking, could see his blue eyes darkening but still twinkling in the light. _What is going on?_ Keith looked back down at Red, stroking her fur as she finished the last of the formula. “She’s fine. Ate everything all up, like a good girl.” He held her up in his face again, heart melting at her little yawn. Smiling, he glanced back over at Lance and it melted all over again at the look Lance was sending his way. So much for beginning to fall in love; Keith had nose-dived blindly into it.

Red started squirming again, trying to escape Keith's hold. He stood up slowly, the towel falling to the floor, and set her down, watching as she bolted right over to the scratching post. “So, yeah,” he murmured, “She's fine.”

“Okay, that's- That's good. I'm just gonna go let the rest of them back out here. Ouro looks like she's ready for another nap, and Verde's doing her best to jump up to the chair.”

“Sounds great. And then food for us.”

“Yeah, really. It was too early to eat when I woke up, so I've only had coffee.” Lance retreated to the kitchen, Blue the only one to scamper up immediately. He plucked her up, cradling her close. “Boys are dangerous, _mi gatita_ , especially assholes with secret sweet sides.” He kissed the top of her head, her purrs rumbling softly, and sought the other three cats. Siyah had Verde on the table with her, only just releasing her scruff. Ouro was asleep in the food dish.

Okay. He bundled Ouro into his arms, shuffling his grasp a bit to add Verde to the pile. Siyah watched him for a moment before following. “Y'know, the day you stop following us around every time we move the kittens, Keith and I'll probably both be shocked. What are you gonna do when they go to their forever homes, huh?”

She flicked her bushy tail, scaling the fence with ease, and was on the other side before Lance stepped over it. He shook his head, sending an easy smile Keith's way. “Do you want to just leave this down so they can go back and forth between here and the kitchen since we're gonna be heating up food in there?”

“Yeah.” Keith looked up from where he was crouching, playing with Red. “They're probably just gonna sleep anyway.” He rubbed her chin one last time before standing up, taking Verde from Lance's arms and a kiss from his lips. “I'll go get it started if you wanna settle these guys in,” he offered, placing Verde on the floor next to Red.

“Yeah, I can do that.” Lance grinned, ignoring the way his heart fluttered. “We're like tag team parents.”

“‘Papa’ Lance,” Keith laughed, stepping around him to start making his way to the kitchen.

“I'm not above making the same joke twice, daddy.” Amused, Lance crouched down to unload Ouro and Blue. Blue flopped herself against Red, overbalancing them both. “Same,” he mused with a laugh, picking them both up to settle them in the basket so they could sleep. Ouro followed, Verde having to be grabbed off the scratching post she was struggling to climb. “Don't meow at me. If you fell asleep and toppled off, Pidge would never let us hear the end of it and she doesn't even know you exist yet.” She meowed anyway, but settled in when he set her down with her sleepy sisters. Siyah regarded him quietly, wary of the basket since they'd been carted to the vet last time, but Lance rose. “You can do your own thing, mama cat. You're old enough.” She waited for him to take a few steps away before weaving around his feet and slipping into the basket to check on the kittens.

Grinning, Lance made his way into the kitchen. He wasted no time in wrapping his arms around Keith’s waist from behind, chin propped on his shoulder. “Hi. Kittens are bundled up and sleeping.”

“Good, but that only means they're probably going to be awake tonight.” He smiled, turning around in Lance's embrace to steal a kiss.

“We'll just have to tucker them out before I leave tonight.” Lance slipped his hands into Keith’s back pockets, nudging him closer and sinking into a deeper kiss. His tongue ran over Keith’s lower lip, slipping between them when they parted easily. He couldn’t show him in all the ways he wanted to just yet, but he did his best to pour his newfound love into the kiss.

Keith could feel the shift in the kiss. It wasn't light and playful or hot and messy like their previous kisses. This one was deep, emotional, and Keith was drowning in the sensation of Lance's mouth pressed to his so firmly and insistently. He lifted his hands to grasp the sides of Lance's face, standing up on his tiptoes to press even closer, giving as good as he was receiving.

One hand slid up, dipping beneath Keith's shirt to find warm skin and draw him even closer. He couldn't get enough of him, drinking in his taste, absorbing the feel of him pressed so close. It wasn't nearly close enough, but Lance was starting to think he'd never get Keith close enough to him. “ _Mi cielo_ ,” he murmured, stroking Keith's back as the kiss broke. “Why did I wait so long for this?”

Shivering against him, Keith dropped his face into Lance's collarbone, mouthing at the skin of his neck. “Probably because we're _both_ idiots.” His hands fell to Lance's hips as he continued to trail biting kisses along his skin.

“That- That's f-fair.” Lance whimpered, pushing him more firmly into the counter. Using teeth wasn't fair, but he tilted his head to give him more room. “Keith...”

“L-Lance.” Keith latched onto the spot on Lance's jaw just under his ear, biting firmly and then laving his tongue over the mark. He kept suckling at it until Lance whined, pulling back to admire the dark bruise now marring his skin. “I'm gonna make sure this one stays,” he muttered, lifting a hand to brush his fingers over it.

Lance shuddered, fingers digging into his back and doing his best not to rut against him. “O-okay. You can- uh-huh.” He had to swallow, shaking his head to try and clear the dazed look from his eyes. “Holy crow, it's not fair that you know that kink when I don't know yours yet.”

“I have a few,” he admitted, pulling Lance closer to keep him still and pressing lips to Lance's ear. “I like my hair pulled. And scratching.” He’d keep the rest under wraps until Friday, but he supposed it couldn't hurt to let Lance know a couple up front.

“Okay. That’s good to know.” Lance squirmed against him. “Is it Friday yet?”

Keith laughed, a breathless noise against Lance’s cheek. “You're an ass.” He shoved him away lightly, turning back around to the counter to throw the leftover meat in the microwave since Lance had interrupted him. “Everything else is still in the fridge so you'll have to grab what you want.”

Lance reached out without hesitation and cupped Keith’s hips. “Okay.”

“Oh my god, go away.” But Keith was laughing again, swatting half-heartedly at Lance's hands.

“Maybe you should try being more specific,” Lance teased, giving him a squeeze before withdrawing. He dug through the fridge, unimpressed by the nearly barren state. “One of these days, you're coming to my house for actual food.” And to actually meet his parents. He'd met most of his siblings, but Lance wanted him to meet them all. “You can't live on hot pockets, Keith.”

“Sure I can.” He had to. He didn’t have a lot of income, and apart from game nights when Hunk brought food and the occasional offers of things like free pizza at school, he’d had to learn to survive on what he could afford. That was hot pockets, pop tarts, and ramen. “But I'll definitely come over if there's the promise of food.”

“Absolutely. Next Sunday. You can come see my family full force. I promise to protect you and at least translate some of what's said.” Lance balanced containers, shutting the fridge with his foot. “If we've still got all of the kittens, you'll be able to bring them. We can keep them safe in my room.”

Keith smiled, taking a couple of the containers off the top of the pile and setting them down on the counter. “Alright, that sounds like fun.” The microwave beeped and he took the bowl out, putting it next to the other ingredients. “Okay, let’s eat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 02: 2/9~~  
>  ~~Ch 03: 2/16~~  
>  Ch 04: 2/23  
> Ch 05: 3/2  
> Ch 06: 3/9  
> Ch 07: 3/9


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hover translations available for those on a computer. **Translations for those on mobile can be found[here](https://goo.gl/uLruIV)!**

Lance strolled into the virtually empty English Language and Composition class with two coffees in hand, dropping down into his normal seat at the table he shared with Keith, Hunk, and Pidge. Eventually, their majors would pull them into different classes, so they tended to grab as many gen courses as possible together while they could. He set one of the coffees in front of Keith, kissing his cheek. “Morning, pretty boy.”

“Hi.” He smiled, taking a sip of his new favorite beverage. “Thank you for this. I guess we didn't play with the kittens long enough last night; they kept me up half the night.” But it was hard to stay annoyed at the little fluffballs currently sleeping in his bedroom at home.

“It's because you kept us both out way too long on our date.” Though he was just as much at fault, enjoying being alone with him and struggling to use the stupid chopsticks. At least Keith had only laughed at him a little. “But call me next time. We're tag team parents.” Lance poked his shoulder before cupping his cheek, taking advantage of the nearly empty room to seal their lips together.

Keith happily kissed him back, but kept it short. “Alright, then. If they keep me up one night this week, you'll be getting a phone call.”

“I'll keep my ringer on,” he promised, taking his hand. “Hopefully it's not tonight since I'm working tomorrow. I'm working Wednesday too. Had to swap shifts to get Saturday morning off.”

“Well, then, I'll try to make sure they don’t act out the next couple of days.” Keith laced their fingers together, squeezing slightly. “I'll come visit you on Wednesday.”

“I’ll wait to take my break until you’re there, then. Just text me.” Lance grinned, abuzz with excitement at the idea of it. It wasn’t unusual for any of them to crash in on him at work, especially during the summer, but it was new to have his boyfriend come see him. “If you fall in the deep end, don’t worry. I know a lifeguard who’ll pull you out.”

“What do you know, so do I.” Keith smirked and took another gulp of coffee.

Another coffee cup was set down across from him. “Oh, hey, look who isn’t dead.”

Lance picked up his cup, taking a pull from the straw. “Morning, Pidge.”

“‘Morning?’ You guys basically drop off the face of the planet for two days and _that’s_ what you say?”

“Come on, Pidge, it was their first weekend as boyfriends. We knew they were going to spend it together.” Hunk waved, swinging his bag onto the back of his chair. He didn’t have coffee, but he did set down a half-dozen donuts for them to share.

Lance immediately grabbed both Boston cremes, setting one on a napkin in front of Keith and keeping the other. “Which we absolutely did.”

“You probably spent it in bed,” Pidge muttered, Hunk’s face reddening and Lance’s lips quirking in amusement. If only.

Keith blushed, taking a bite of his donut. “We didn't, thank you very much.” But she probably wouldn’t believe the truth.

“Ten minutes to eat here and there doesn’t count,” Pidge teased.

Lance snickered. “I’d argue against that if we’d actually spent most of the weekend in bed because it obviously counts, but we really didn’t.”

“Then what _were_ you doing?” she demanded. “You can’t both just ignore my texts all weekend without giving an explanation.”

“Uh.” Keith glanced over at Lance then back to Pidge. They’d might as well tell them. “We rescued some kittens.”

“What?”

Hunk’s eyes widened and he chewed hurriedly on his bite of donut. “Kittens?! What kind of kittens? Where were they? How did you rescue them? Did you take them to Allura and Coran? Did you name them? How many are there?”

Used to his ramblings, Lance answered easily. “A few breeds, under Keith’s house, by crawling under the house, yes, yes, and 4 kittens, one cat.”

Keith smiled. “Yeah, and there’s one for each of you. If you want.” Which he was sure they did, if their reactions were anything to go by. Besides the fact that he knew both of them all too well.

“Uh. Absolutely. What kind of cat?”

Lance pulled his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through his gallery quickly to get to pictures of Verde and Ouro. It wasn’t a long wait since his most recent pictures only contained the kittens and Keith - usually both. “Here. This one’s Verde. She’s a Japanese Bobtail.”

Pidge couldn’t quite hold back her squeaking sounds. “Is she climbing a scratching post?”

“Yeah. She likes to climb up basically everything.” Lance glanced at Keith, grin bright. “Swipe and you can see Ouro. She’s a Birman.”

“You named her gold? Are they all named after colors? What are the- aww!” Hunk took the phone when the fluffy kitten appeared in the next image. “She’s so fluffy!”

“And then there’s Red and Blue,” Keith supplied. “Those are the kittens. Siyah is the cat. And she looks ridiculous.”

“Siyah?”

“Allura named her. It’s black in Turkish since she’s a Turkish Angora.” Lance took his phone back, smiling at the picture he’d taken of Blue. Well, one of the many. She was on her back, reaching out to swat at the toy he’d been dangling in front of her. “She and Shiro are keeping her once she’s ready to leave the kittens. She’s really protective of them.”

Hunk frowned. “Are they okay?”

“Allura said they're a little malnourished, especially Red, but they're fine.” Keith was still really worried for Red, but she’d been responding well to her formula and supplements so far. It left him with very few doubts that she’d soon be healthy and strong. “Siyah is just being a mom.”

“How did she end up with so many different kitten breeds?” Pidge wondered.

“No clue. I suspect some kind of magic.”

Pidge sent Lance a bland look, making him grin. “Idiot. So we’re going to Keith’s after classes. I want to meet my new cat.”

“Is that a thing that can happen? Yeah. I absolutely want to see the kittens. Yes.”

Keith polished off the rest of his donut before speaking. “Yeah, you guys can come over. They're really playful, so you should definitely come play with them. It'd be nice if they would let me sleep.”

“And Hunk's making dinner,” Lance decided.

“What, why?”

Because Keith needed to eat real dinner as often as possible, and Lance was as much a mama cat as Siyah, though he tried to be more lowkey about it. “Because I just spent a ton of money on stuff for _your_ cats and you owe me.”

“Fine. But we're all going to the grocery store.”

“Fine, but I don't have my car today, so I'm riding with my boyfriend.”

Smiling, Keith squeezed Lance's hand again. He could tell what Lance was doing, what he was trying to pull, and he fell in love all over again because Lance actually cared enough about him to make sure he was eating properly. “Alright, sounds good.” He was excited for Pidge and Hunk to come over and meet their kittens, almost as excited at the promise of more delicious food.

\----

Chicken tenders and mac’n’cheese ended up winning the dinner vote, which meant Hunk and Pidge had to stop at Hunk’s place to get his frier since Keith definitely didn't have one. Lance was completely alright with this because it meant enough time to give Keith the proper kiss he'd been waiting for that entire day and, when they finally stopped making out on Keith’s bike, it meant time alone with the kittens.

Lance crouched down the moment Keith opened his bedroom door, giggling when Blue ran straight to his hands to get picked up and cuddled. Red batted at Keith’s boots until he reached for her, and Verde and Ouro went back and forth between them since they couldn’t decide where to stay. “Y’know, it's actually gonna be really sad when I don’t come here and find them all home.”

“I know…” Keith finally let his thoughts linger on how Lance kept referring to his cabin as “home.” The first couple of times, he’d thought it had been just an easier way for him to say “the cabin.” But then when Lance had mentioned his own home, he didn't _call_ it that. He’d distinctly said “my house.” And maybe Keith was over-thinking things, over-complicating them in his mind, but the fluttering he felt in both his heart and his stomach wanted to make him believe that it had been done on purpose. “I'll miss Blue especially.”

“Yeah? I told you she's the best cat. And you can totally tell that she and Red are really close.” Lance stroked Blue’s fur, listening to her purrs and smiling when she batted at the drawstrings of his hoodie. “But they'll still see each other when I'm able to take her to my place. This is her first home. I won't keep her from it. Besides, I gotta come see my boyfriend at home as often as possible. She’s coming with me for that.”

“Yeah, of course.” But what if they didn't have to separate them? What if their kittens could stay together, here in Keith’s home? Keith knew that Lance would never give Blue up like that, though, so what if he just stayed too? It would certainly be easier to take care of two kittens with two people...

Keith shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? He and Lance had only been dating for three days up til now, and Keith was already thinking about having him move in? No, that- That actually wasn't as terrifying as Keith had been imagining. In fact he _wanted_ it. But would Lance want to? No, right? It was too soon in their relationship to be making huge steps like that.

He had to swallow around a lump in his throat, managing to stutter out another response through a weak smile. “C-come over whenever you want.”

“Does that include sleepovers?” Lance looked over when he felt tugging at his jacket. “Somebody sniffed out the treats.” He pulled four out of the bag in his pocket, grinning when he had all four kittens surrounding him in an instant. “Not that any of you are spoiled.”

Of course it included sleepovers, but that went without saying. “Speak for yourself, I'm absolutely spoiling Red.” He held her up when she'd finished her treat, kissing her nose. “Because you're such a good girl, aren't you? Yeah.”

Lance arched both brows. “Says the guy who constantly calls his kitten a brat.”

Red only helped prove Lance's point by swatting Keith in the face, her claws tiny but sharp as she left a faint scratch on his nose. “Ow! What was that for?” He could have sworn he saw her stick her tongue out, but she went right back to batting at the air when Keith held her a few more inches away. “...brat.”

“Oh, yeah,” Lance monotoned, “such a good girl.” Almost as if she understood, Verde smacked Lance's hand, leaving a scratch across the back. He rubbed it, flinching. “Alright, fuzzy Pidge.”

Keith laughed, rubbing at his own wound. “Come on, let's go bring them into the living room. It's almost time for me to feed Red again, and Pidge and Hunk shouldn't be too far away.”

“Alright, alright.” Lance rose, plucking up Blue and Ouro so Keith could deal with Verde. Smug little brat. But he was smiling again when Siyah streaked out ahead of them, shooting out from her hiding place beneath the bed. “Okay, see ya, Siyah.”

“Really?” Keith groaned, standing up from the bed. “That was terrible.”

“I’ve been waiting to use that since she got her name.” Lance shifted the kitten to one arm to fire a finger gun at him. “It was awesome, and you know it.”

Keith shook his head, smiling. “Sorry, you mispronounced ‘awful’.”

“Wow, rude. Blue liked it. Didn’t you, _mi gatita linda_?” On impulse, he made a meowing sound at her and gasped when she mewed back. “Holy crow, you’re getting more treats for that.”

“Oh my god.” That was the most adorable thing Keith had ever seen. And almost as if she knew what he was thinking, Red swiped at him again. “Red!” he cried out, “I'm right here, stop it.”

Lance leaned in for a quick kiss, biting back his giggles. “I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and say that she’s probably just hungry, _chico lindo_. Can I try feeding her this time?”

Keith glanced back down at Red, who was staring wide-eyed up at him, unblinking. God, his kitten was cute. “Yeah, sure. She actually is really well-behaved when she's eating. Not a little terror like she’s being right now.”

“We'll have to see about that.” Lance grinned, carrying Ouro and Blue to the kitchen. He glanced at the feeding schedule Keith had attached to the refrigerator door. When they were older and healthier, the kittens wouldn’t have lunch, but they got a small one as it was.

While Keith mixed Red’s formula, Lance measured out wet food. He left the bowl on the counter and eased the tabby off of Keith’s shoulder and into his arms. She was still lighter than the other three, but they'd see changes soon. “You're doing a good job taking care of them all, Keith.”

“I- Thanks.” It was difficult at times to try to keep them all happy while trying to make sure they all ate, but with Lance coming over to help, it was getting easier. “You're a good tag team parent. Thank you for helping with everything.”

“Between getting to spend extra time with you and with all these cats, this is the best thing to ever happen.” Lance scratched behind Red’s ear. “I love coming over here.”

Keith smiled, noticing the tender way Lance was treating Red, more so than when he held Verde or Ouro. “I love you coming over, too.”

Lance ducked his head, smiling at the kitten. He loved everyone in the cabin, feline and man, but he held his tongue on that one. As long as Keith enjoyed having him around, he'd be happy. “Am I still allowed to come over this often when there's only Blue and Red left to tag-team parent?”

“Definitely. I'd be disappointed if you didn't.” He leaned in to press a kiss to Lance's cheek and one to the top of Red's head.

Cheeks pink, Lance took a dish towel and the oral syringe. Red immediately swung a paw towards it, already recognizing it as a food source. “They’re all so smart. Come on, little princess, let's get you fed.”

Leaving Keith to feed the other three, he walked to the living room and settled on the couch in the same manner Keith sat when he fed her. Red didn’t want to stay on her back, though, so Lance played with her until she settled in an odd seated position, cradled against the arm he had tucked securely around her. Then he lifted the syringe, Red’s paws settling on either side of it as he carefully squeezed the formula into her mouth. “There we go. You’re a good girl when you're not a brat,” he murmured. “ _Te quiero, pequeña princesita_.”

After making sure the kittens had all eaten their share of food - which meant picking up Ouro to prevent her from sneaking in and stealing the rest of Blue’s - Keith made his way back out into the living room with the intention of joining Lance on the couch. He froze halfway through the doorway, having to lean against the jamb as his heart stuttered in his chest. This must have been what happened to Lance yesterday, why his hands were shaking like Keith's were now. The sight of his boyfriend sitting on his couch and feeding his baby like… well, a baby, was almost too much for him to handle.

When Lance looked up, Keith quickly crossed his arms over his chest, trying to look casual leaning against the wall and _not_ like he actually needed it for support. “She-” He had to clear his throat, the raw emotion he was feeling making him hoarse. “She’s good, isn't she?”

“Yeah.” Lance’s lips curved, eyes and smile as bright as can be. He faltered a little when he took a good look at Keith’s face, gaze quickly dropping back to Red. He wasn’t the most observant, so didn’t quite realize what was off, but he at least knew something was. “Is- This is okay? It’s how she wanted to sit.”

“Y-yeah, it- it's perfect.” He collected himself enough to push off the wall and make his way to the couch to drop down carefully next to Lance. The other kittens wandered in from the kitchen, Blue running over to the couch and trying to leap up. Keith smiled and reached down to pick her up, holding her close while Lance continued to feed Red. Blue’s nose twitched as she sniffed the air, struggling to get closer to both Red and Lance. “It's okay, Blue. They're right there.” Heart still racing, Keith leaned over and gave Lance a short kiss. “This is perfect.”

Relaxing, Lance leaned against him and rubbed Red’s belly gently when she finished eating. He set the oral syringe and towel aside, stroking her side. It was homey. Ouro had curled up against his foot to sleep, Verde streaking up the side of the scratching post. Blue purred softly when he reached up and scratched beneath her chin, Red a warm little bundle against his chest when he lifted her so she could sniff at Blue and Keith. And then there was Keith himself, his boyfriend snug against him and perfect in his own right. They could stay like this forever, and Lance would be happy. Warm, content, completely in love.

“Yeah. It is pretty perfect.”

They stayed like that a few more minutes, cuddled with each other and their kittens, before the front door opened and Pidge and Hunk walked in. Keith smiled up at them, holding fast onto Blue when she started to squirm in his grasp. Ouro woke up at the noise, mewing loudly, and Verde crouched low on top of the scratching post, glaring at the intruders. Siyah was in much the same position on top of the coffee table, fur standing on end. “Hey.”

“Wow. Did you guys get married over the weekend or what?” Pidge pushed the door closed to avoid letting any of the cats scramble out, carrying a bag towards the kitchen.

Hunk smiled, arms laden with the rest of the bags. “Come on. Help us unload so we can actually see the kittens. Who's the loud one?”

“Yours.” Lance grinned, standing up from the couch. He stole Blue from Keith, letting her and Red cuddle. “I'm gonna get them in the bedroom until we're done unloading everything. I don't want anybody to get stepped on.”

Keith got up, reaching down for Verde. She swiped at him, just barely nicking his hand with a sharp claw. “Ow! You're a brat, too, come on.” He finally got a gentle hold of her, carrying her and Ouro into the room after Lance, Siyah once again right behind them. They got them all situated in their box from the bathroom and shut the door on the way back into the kitchen.

“Okay, they already ate so we can eat and then let them back out to play.” Keith grabbed a bag and started to unload it, setting stuff on the counter.

“They like to nap after they eat, so they probably wouldn’t be that exciting anyway,” Lance added, leaning against the counter as he watched Hunk set up the frier. “So... it doesn't use oil?”

“Nope! It's great. It’s fast, too, so we can run it while I make mac’n’cheese, and everything should be done at the same time. I just need to cut the chicken into strips.”

“I got it.” Lance slid away, running an absent hand down Keith’s arm as he passed to grab the package of chicken and a knife.

A shiver ran down Keith’s spine at the touch, turning his head to smile at him. He caught Lance’s free hand when he passed back by and leaned in to steal a kiss from him.

“Okay, seriously, where are the wedding bands?”

Lance laughed, a little giddy about the way they were coming off. Like they were really a serious couple. They were, absolutely, but it was nice to feel like one, to feel comfortable in their affection. It was a whole extra layer to cement the love he already felt. The segue from friends to boyfriends felt so natural, like they were right where they needed to be. He gave Keith’s hand a squeeze. “You're just jealous, Pidge.”

“Gag.”

Keith blushed and let go of Lance's hand, but made sure to move to the other counter to work so they could be next to each other. “What else do you want me to do, Hunk?”

He looked up from the stove, a full pot of water starting to warm so the noodles could be added. “Uh...”

“Grab another knife and help me.” Lance bumped their hips together. “Slicing chicken sucks.”

Pidge broke open the box of Capri-Sun they'd spent twenty minutes arguing over at the grocery store and dropped into a chair at the kitchen table with one of the pouches, staying well out of the way. “Just hurry up so we can eat. I'm dying to see the kittens.”

“You saw them already,” Keith teased, smiling when Lance turned to him with a proud smirk.

Pidge glowered. “If your sass is going to combine with Lance’s shitlord-ness, you’re going to have to break up. I’m sorry, but I don’t make the rules.”

“Pretty sure you made that one,” Lance pointed out, setting the chicken strips on a plate between him and Keith as they were sliced. “But the kittens are just the best, and I want to see them again too. Especially my baby because she’s the best cat.”

“Is she a picky eater who not-so-secretly mothers everybody?” Hunk wondered.

Lance sent him an unimpressed look over his shoulder. “I don’t mother everyone, shut up.”

“You kinda do,” Keith argued. “But it’s actually really sweet.” And endearing. And just another addition to the “Reasons He Loved Lance” list.

“No. No, no, no. No. I’m not sweet. I’m just practical.” Pidge snorted. “I _am_! The rest of you are apples and bananas.” He waved the hand with the knife. “It’s not my fault you guys - especially you, Keith - need to be told what’s good for you.”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “And then you usually go buy whatever’s good for us if we don’t.”

“Like a mom,” Hunk pointed out.

Keith laughed and then muttered under his breath, “Mama Lance.”

“ _Wow_. You are within stabbing distance, mullet.”

“That means you are too,” Keith retorted, brandishing his own knife. “And I'm faster.”

It was honestly really cool how Keith was able to twirl a knife through his fingers, but Lance managed not to let the display distract him. “But then you’d lose your tag-team parent, and Blue would be sad. Don’t make my baby sad, Keith. It’s not cool.”

“I'd never do anything to make her sad.” Placing his knife down, he reached out and curled his fingers in Lance's shirt, dragging him forward and sealing their lips together. “I'd never do anything to make you sad, either,” he whispered against his mouth. 

Lance’s brain short-circuited; he could hear the fizzle. Keith had somehow gone from playful to a wild mix of sweet and hot. Lance and his racing heart had no defence against it. “I... Okay.”

Keith smiled, able to feel the pounding of Lance's heart under his fist, knowing that his own heart was in the same state. “Okay,” he echoed, pressing one more short kiss to his lips before pulling back and picking his knife up again to finish cutting up chicken.

Lance couldn’t actually tell who’d won that round, still a little dazed as he finished his half of the chicken and carried his knife to the sink to wash his hands and the blade. He was still very sure that the three of them still thought of him as a mom, though, which was mortifying. He wasn’t the mom-friend. Hunk could be the mom-friend. But he’d gotten a pretty nice kiss and entertainment out of it, plus Keith promising not to make him sad.

When Keith met him at the sink, he leaned over to kiss his cheek. “ _Eres dulce_.”

Blushing, Keith ducked his head and finished washing his hands. “What's that mean?”

When Lance only smiled, Hunk scoffed. “He said you’re sweet.”

“Hunk!” Lance flicked water at him.

“What? You _did_!”

“Because he is, but shut up!”

Keith smiled, taking Lance's hand in his when they were dry and he’d gotten his gloves back on, lacing their fingers. “And yet you can't accept that you are too.”

“Being sweet doesn’t fit with his lame attempts to look cool.” Pidge rose to toss her Capri-Sun and grab another.

“‘Lame attempts,’” Lance scoffed. “Whatever. I don’t have to take this, you know. I can go play with my kitten.”

“No, you're staying here,” Keith insisted, squeezing his hand.

“Fine, but only because she's probably sleeping.” And maybe because Lance didn't want to leave his boyfriend’s side. He lifted Keith’s hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the patch of skin bared by the cutout in his gloves. “If I hear scratching at that door, all bets are off.”

“Alright.” Keith was only agreeing because, yeah, if he heard scratching he was absolutely going in there to get Red and cuddle her all evening. “Now let’s let Hunk work.”

“Alright, alright.” Lance tugged Keith to the table, flopping into the second chair and dragging Keith into his lap just to hold him close and press warm kisses to the back of his neck.

“Why are you making me watch this with my own two eyes?” Pidge complained.

“You didn't help with food prep,” Lance pointed out. “And my boyfriend’s cute, so shut up. I do what I want.”

Keith shuddered when Lance’s lips touched his neck again, hot breath ghosting over his nape and making his skin prickle. It was a little odd to be the one sitting in Lance’s lap, but it was comfortable, even on the hard wooden chair. He turned around to steal a proper kiss from him, mumbling, “You're pretty cute too.”

Lance smiled against his lips. “I know.”

“You're an ass,” Keith laughed, turning back around. He wiggled to get more situated in Lance's lap, ignoring Pidge’s glare from the other side of the table.

Lance was tempted to writhe beneath him just to encourage the friction, but contented himself by banding his arms around his waist a little more tightly and resuming his kisses to Keith’s neck. As the conversation picked up again, Lance tuned out the anecdote about one of Hunk’s professors and let his teeth scrape just above the collar of his boyfriend’s shirt. When he jumped just a little, Lance bit firmer and sucked and nipped a hickey into his skin.

Keith grabbed onto one of Lance's arms, digging his fingers into his forearm and jolting against him. Pidge had thankfully turned to actually listen to Hunk's story so she couldn't see what was going on. “ _Lance_ ,” he hissed, pushing his hips back. The nape of his neck was one of the most sensitive spots on his body, which Lance was probably just now figuring out.

Lance hummed, keeping the grin at bay until he was satisfied with the forming bruise on Keith’s skin. He was definitely keeping this spot in mind. “ _Nunca te dejaré ir_ , _mi novio lindo._ ”

“Are you gonna tell me what that means?”

“Mm... Probably not.”

Keith pouted, but lifted Lance's hand up, kissing his palm and then nuzzling into it. He'd never before craved this intimacy, but being with Lance made it hard not to need it. “Lance…”

“You’re seriously adorable,” Lance murmured, stroking his cheek. “ _Eres la luz de mis ojos_.”

“Lance, stop flirting with Keith in Spanish,” Pidge complained, throwing her empty juice pouch at him. 

“No.”

“It's fine, Pidge,” Keith said, “I asked him to.”

“Yeah, well, everytime he does, Hunk looks at you idiots because he understands it. Cut it out.”

“But that explains why he's actually using Spanish.” Hunk drained the noodles and threw milk and cheese into the still-hot pot. “I don’t actually think I've heard it outside of your home. Or just away from your family in general, I guess.”

Lance shrugged. “This is close enough.”

Keith's heart skipped a beat, fingers flexing on Lance's arm. Again, he was probably reading too much into it, but god, he really wanted this to be Lance's home, _he_ wanted to be Lance's home. He wanted to wake up next to him every morning, cuddled up close and tangled in the sheets, quiet “I love you”s exchanged with stale breaths. He wanted everything with Lance, and it was as exciting as it was terrifying. “Good.”

Lance pressed a kiss to his shoulder. “Yeah.”

“You’re just saying that because the cats are here.”

“Pssh. They’re only five of the reasons, Pidge.” He’d always liked Keith’s cabin, despite its distance from town. It was that distance which provided the most gorgeous views of the night sky. For someone who adored stargazing and picking out constellations, the view was unbeatable and enviable. Plus, the cabin was small, intimate - the perfect size for, say, a couple. Lance would be lying if he said he’d never fantasized about it. He was, though he was loath to admit it, a romantic at heart. Having a relationship serious enough to warrant moving in together fit right in with that. Having the relationship with Keith just made it perfect. Out of reach, maybe, since Lance wasn’t sure how Keith would feel about sharing his small space, but the romantic notion was still there.

“Well, they won't all be here forever. It'll just be me and Red after you guys can take your kittens home...” Hopefully that wouldn't last forever, either. Keith wanted it to be him and Lance, and Red and Blue. Forever.

“Yup. My favorite two reasons - _mi novio lindo y mi pequeña princesita_.” Lance grinned. “Sounds good enough for me.”

“Yeah.” Keith snuggled further into his lap, as close as he could get in their positions. “How much longer til food is ready, Hunk?”

“Just another minute or two on the frier and we'll be good.”

“Awesome.” Lance gave Keith a fond squeeze, content to keep him close as long as he'd stay in place. “And then kittens.”

“And then kittens,” Keith agreed with a short laugh. It'd already been too long since he'd gotten to hold Red and feel her soft fur against his skin. He needed cuddle time with his bratty kitten. And more cuddle time with Lance. “That's a good plan.”

“Kittens are always a good plan, Keith. Especially ours.” When the frier dinged, he reluctantly lessened his hold to let Keith rise if he wanted.

He didn't really want to move, but Keith was hungry, and the promise of more time spent with their kittens had him climbing out of Lance's lap and stretching. “Alright then, let's eat.”

\----

For once, Lance wasn’t the last person finished eating. He didn’t even have to be reminded to stop talking and put food in his mouth. He wanted his kitten and their late lunch was in the way. Lance was always up for something with the proper motivation, so when his plate was the first one empty, the other three were only surprised for a moment before realization dawned and amusement followed.

When Pidge offered to handle dishes, Lance shoved his plate her way and made a beeline for the bedroom to see if the kittens were awake. He wasn’t disappointed, grinning when he saw Siyah hefting Ouro out of their box by the scruff. Red and Verde were already out, rolling around together on the floor. Oh, yeah, he was going to miss this when they all went to their homes, but when Blue popped her head out of the box and meowed for attention, his smile brightened. At least he'd have her.

He plucked her up, kissing the top of her head before bundling Red and Verde in his arms. “Come on, Siyah.” Her ears twitched, but she carried Ouro and her mewing self out after him.

Lance dumped Blue and Red in Keith’s lap. “Half of this is yours, here.”

Keith picked up both of them, one squirming bundle of fluff in each hand, and held them up to his face. Blue meowed happily, licking the bridge of his nose, while Red was glaring at him, annoyed at having been locked up for so long. “God, I'm sorry, I didn't realize the whole world revolved around you.” She swatted at him before licking his cheek, and Keith just laughed as he put both kittens back into his lap, where they laid on their sides and started to swipe at each other.

Hunk chuckled, though his attention quickly dropped to Siyah and Ouro. “Wow, she kinda looks even sillier in person.”

“Yeah.” Lance crouched down, letting Verde go since she wanted to climb up the scratching post again, and held out his hands for Ouro. Siyah’s ears flattened, recognizing the unfamiliar presence. “No, come on. No one’s gonna hurt her.” He stroked a hand down Siyah’s back, her fluffed tail flicking when she relinquished her hold on the curious kitten. She scrambled to the TV stand since it was the closest to Hunk, crouching low in preparation to pounce if he did something she didn’t like. Lance laughed, nuzzling Ouro gently before passing her to Hunk.

“Aw, she's so fluffy. But she's so light.”

“Yeah. Allura’s got them on a feeding schedule to get them all at a healthier weight.”

Ouro’s nose twitched, mewing as she batted at Hunk’s vest, the sounds only interrupted when she started to purr at Hunk’s petting. “Aw, she likes me.”

“She just knows you'll feed her.” Lance passed him a few treats from the bag in his pocket, grinning when Hunk fed her two. “Give one to Siyah. She might be nicer to you.”

Siyah slinked over slowly when Hunk put the treat out, sniffing carefully at his hand before she grabbed it up. She seemed to relax, staying near Hunk and chewing away at the treat. He gave her a light scratch behind one of her fluffy ears, and she purred, but continued to keep an eye on Verde and the rest of her kittens.

Verde had reached the top of the post, getting better and better at climbing with each passing moment - and Pidge was certainly gonna have her hands full with that one. She flattened herself down when Pidge actually approached her, fur standing on end and ears flat on her head. “It’s okay,” Pidge assured, sitting cross-legged on the floor a couple feet away and reaching out a hand with a treat. “I'm not going to hurt you.” Verde inched forward, balancing on the edge of the post to snatch the treat from her palm. Pidge stroked down her back, and when Verde had calmed down enough, she picked her up, holding her against her chest. “She’s so precious.”

Keith smiled from his place on the couch, snuggling close to Lance when his boyfriend sat down next to him and took Blue out of his lap. She immediately protested at being taken away from Red, whom she'd been grooming, before realizing who it was that picked her up. Red rolled onto her back, blinking up at Keith as if it was his fault that Blue was no longer next to her. “Don’t look at _me_.” He lifted her, pressing a kiss to her head, and then nestled her into the crook of his neck.

Lance let Blue settle on his shoulder, leaning against Keith so she could inch closer to Red. Lance worked an arm between Keith’s back and the couch, wrapping it around his boyfriend’s waist. “Just be careful of her claws, Pidge. She and Red use them most.”

Pidge smiled, nose buried in the kitten's soft fur. “Pssh. They're clearly the smartest ones. I'd use claws if I had them.”

“What would you even need them for?” Keith wondered, shifting to get more comfortable. He reached up with his free hand to pet Blue, who’d dragged Red closer and was grooming her again.

“You idiots. Not you, Hunk,” she added when he looked up from his kitten. “But you two and anyone who annoyed me in general.”

Lance laughed softly to keep from jostling the kittens. “So the world, basically.”

“Exactly.”

“Wow.” Keith smiled, shaking his head at them. Red mewed, protesting his movements. “Okay, god. Brat.”

Lance swept up both kittens, turning in place to pillow his head in Keith’s lap and throw his legs over the arm of the couch. The kittens balanced on his stomach. “There. Now you have more room. Happy?” Blue crawled up to sit on his chest and purred, tail twitching until Red pounced on her. Then they rolled towards the back of the couch. “Okay good.”

Keith dropped a hand into Lance's hair, stroking his fingers idly through his short brown strands and over his scalp. He watched their kittens play, stuck between the couch and Lance's side, until they got wrapped up in each other and snuggled closer to Lance, sharing body heat and purring. “Oh my god.”

Lance smiled, petting them both. “They're the most precious things ever.”

“So the big question is when do we get to take these guys home?” Pidge wondered, having moved to the scratching post to play with Verde.

“Yeah, man. Because today would be good.” Ouro was on her back, Hunk rolling her playfully while she swatted at his hands and mewed.

“No way. Allura said they needed to stick together until they were healthier and until Siyah’s not so protective of them.” Besides, Lance wasn’t ready to split the little family up and knew Keith wasn’t either.

“Yeah, they're still on a strict meal plan that Allura set for them.” Keith reached with his other hand to pet Red and Blue and then took Lance's hand in his. “They have to pass their checkups first.”

Lance entwined their fingers, feeling as snuggly as the kittens. He pressed his cheek against Keith’s abdomen, eyes closing. It would be so very easy to get used to this, to coming home to press close to Keith and two purring felines. Not- not that this was home, but... it was starting to feel that way.

As much as his house was home, it was also steadily emptying. Three of his older siblings had left, the next two poised and ready to follow. And as much as he loved and spoiled his younger two siblings, there was a decade between him and the next one. It was an unshakeable disconnect that he felt guilty over, but his family home wasn’t _his_ home as much as it once had been. And with Keith and these kittens seeping into his life and taking it over faster than he could keep track of, the way this was feeling more and more like the place he wanted to be every day was probably natural.

By Saturday, he'd probably be sunk. He knew it, accepted it, and was so scared that Keith wouldn’t be ready. They'd been close for a year, but would that translate into living together for him the same way it did for Lance? He didn’t - couldn't - know, but he was going to enjoy what time there he could get. Him and his purring little fur baby.

Blue crawled up to settle against his neck, purrs rumbling through him, and he smiled, stroking his fingers through her soft fur. “ _Te quiero, mi gatita linda,_ ” he murmured, opening one eye when he felt a second bundle bumping his face for attention. “ _Y tú, pequeña princesita_. But not if you don't stop hitting me, Red.” He picked her up, holding her to Keith’s shoulder so she could take her perch, and bit back another “and you” because, holy crow, did he love Keith too.

Keith tilted his head so he could rub his cheek into Red's fur, able to hear as well as feel her purring. This was what he wanted every day, Lance and their kittens cuddled close, on the couch, in bed, at _home_. He glanced down at his boyfriend, smiling softly. The “I love you” was right on the tip of his tongue, it was almost scary just how easy it would have been to say it in that moment. “This is still perfect,” he murmured, resuming his petting through Lance's hair.

Lance hummed, eyes slipping shut again on a sigh. “ _Eres perfecto_. ‘You’re perfect.’”

Then Blue started to wiggle, and Lance lifted her. “No. Play later, cuddling now.” She smacked his nose, wiggling in his grip. “Oh my god, fine. Let's find your mouse.” He rolled onto his side and set her on the floor so she could dart beneath the couch and locate whatever toys had disappeared beneath the furniture.

As soon as Blue was let go, Red started to struggle against Keith's neck, trying to jump down. “Hey, okay.” He took his hands back from Lance, reaching up to grab her. “We'll let you down, hold on. Can you-?” He passed her to Lance so he didn't have to bend over him to put her onto the floor.

Lance set her down, laughing when Blue raced out to tackle her. She ended up tripping over the too-big mouse she was trying to carry and more rolled into Red, but it was still essentially a tackle. It gave Lance a chance to grab the toy while the two of them rolled and swatted at one another playfully. Ouro’s meows grew in volume, so Hunk set her down so she could join the fray, and Pidge helped Verde off the top of the post when she proved too excited and afraid to jump off herself.

She laughed, leaning against the scratching post with her arms folded across her chest. “These guys are adorable.”

“Yeah! They’re a cute, mismatched little family.” Hunk grinned. “My sisters are going to love Ouro.”

“Then bribe them into cleaning the litter box,” Lance suggested.

Keith smiled, burying his hand back in Lance's hair. “Yeah, you're lucky you've got someone you _can_ bribe into doing it.” The “I'm on my own” went unsaid, making him wish once again that he didn't have to be.

“Pssh. Get Lance to do it.”

“What, no way!” He stuck his tongue out at Pidge, resting his cheek against Keith’s thigh. “He’s the responsible tag-team parent. I’m the fun one. It’s how it works.”

“Says the parent who fed Red her formula earlier.” Keith flexed his fingers in Lance's hair, massaging his scalp. “You just don't want to come off as responsible, even though you're just as responsible as me.”

“There are fun responsibilities and boring ones.” Lance rubbed his cheek against Keith’s thigh affectionately. “And you’re home more than I am anyway, so it makes more sense that you get the boring ones.”

Keith's hand stilled momentarily, his heart stuttering again. Every mention of that word garnered the same reaction, and Keith was starting to wonder if Lance was doing it on purpose now. Hopefully he was. “Yeah, well, I'm not getting _all_ the boring ones. You're gonna have to do some chores, too.”

Lance rolled onto his back to smile at him. “As long as you get litter box duty, I don’t care.”

“Deal.” He returned the smile, resting his free hand on Lance's chest. “We can trade off on feeding Red.”

When Pidge started humming “Here Comes the Bride,” Lance threw the toy mouse at her. “Cripes, Pidge.”

“What? It’s not _my_ fault you guys are acting like this.”

“You can go home, y’know.”

She smirked, squeaking the mouse to get the kittens’ attention. “So could you.”

“I-” He stopped, the confused “I am home?” catching in his throat. This wasn’t his home. It was Keith’s. It didn’t matter that the cabin was feeling more and more like home to him, especially with his boyfriend gently stroking his hair and their kittens playing happily around them. Even Siyah had relaxed, sprawled across the TV stand with her tail flicking lazily. Where else could this be but home? Right where his heart was. Lance rolled and shifted, face pressed into Keith’s abdomen, his “meh” muffled.

Similarly, Keith's “He is home” died on his tongue before he could open his mouth, biting back the protest. Lance was right where Keith wanted him, but was Lance right where _he_ wanted to be? Keith would never stop hoping that the answer to that question was _yes_. Keith cradled his boyfriend closer, the hand on his chest slipping up to cup the back of his neck. “Are you guys gonna rename your kittens?” he asked, needing the change in subject. “Verde and Ouro were really just placeholder names until you met them.”

“I’m not calling them anything else,” Lance decided, fingers curling into Keith’s shirt.

Hunk laughed. “I like Ouro.”

“Verde’s better than green would’ve been, and if she’s used to it, I don’t mind.” Pidge shrugged. “Colors all around.”

“Cool.” Keith didn't want to have to call them anything else either.

Lance shifted to grin up at him, but one set of mews in particular grabbed his attention. He rolled again, Blue backing away when he reached for her. She dropped her front half, rump lifted and wiggling playfully. Unable to resist her, he dropped to the floor to play.

By the time Hunk and Pidge were getting ready to leave, the kittens were definitely going to be able to sleep through the night. “Lance, you want a ride home? So Keith doesn’t have to head all the way into town.”

It was practical. Keith’s bike was stellar on gas, but it would still be a waste. But Lance hesitated, holding a squeakily yawning Blue to his cheek. He didn’t even have his shoes on yet, and Pidge and Hunk were walking out the door. “Uh...”

“It’s okay, I'll give him a ride,” Keith answered quickly. He wanted more time with him and the kittens alone, plus the collars were still in the pet store bag in his bedroom, waiting to be taken out and put on Red and Blue. “I don't mind.”

“Okay.” Hunk patted his pockets for his keys, passing Ouro to Keith reluctantly. “Bye, kitty. See you guys tomorrow.”

“Yeah.” Pidge passed Verde over to Lance, scratching her behind the ear. “If you guys don’t keep taking good care of her, I’ll kill you both.”

Lance snorted, but didn’t doubt it. She was small, but dangerous. “Okay, bye.”

“Bye, guys.” Keith smiled, rearranging Red and Ouro in his hold, and kicked the door shut behind them. “Come on. Let's get these guys in the bedroom.”

Lance followed him with a smile, falling onto his back with Blue and Verde. Verde smacked his face and flounced away to curl up on the pillow. Siyah leapt up to lay with her, bushy tail tucking her in close. Lance smiled at them, and let Blue go so she could lay where she wanted. She ended up snuggled against his cheek, and he chuckled. “My good girl.”

The scene in front of him was mind-numbingly cute, and Keith walked over to dump the last two kittens on Lance's chest. Ouro rolled off onto the mattress, not bothering to move as she just cuddled up into his side. Dazed, Red yawned, and licked Lance's chin before moving up to wedge herself between his cheek and Blue. Keith bent down, pressing his smile onto Lance's lips. “You're gorgeous.”

Lance lifted a hand, sliding it into Keith’s hair to keep him in place. “ _Y tú_ , _mi corazón_.”

Keith kissed him again, unable to resist when Lance's lips were right there. He didn't want Lance to leave tonight, but he also knew that he had to. Keith could still be greedy for a few more minutes, though, and keep him there as long as possible. Pulling away slightly, he mumbled, “We still haven't given Red and Blue their special collars yet.”

“I know. I was thinking about them earlier.” But Lance wanted to be greedy for a few more minutes, too, so pulled him into a deeper kiss. He didn't want to leave, aching for Keith to ask him to stay. It'd cause a mess come morning with him not having clothes or his work things, not to mention his lack of a toothbrush. Knowing he couldn't didn't stop the desire. He just wanted to pretend that maybe this was home. Just one night.

Keith broke the kiss before he could allow himself to climb onto the bed. If he let it happen, there was no way he was going to let Lance leave afterwards. “Do you want to put them on now?”

Lance wanted to keep kissing. He wanted to pull Keith down and cuddle him as close as one of the kittens. He wanted to ask to stay. “Yeah, sounds good.”

“Okay. I'll just-” He had to pull back, put some distance between them so he couldn't act on any of his urges. Lance's hand slipped out of his hair, Keith immediately missing its presence as he grabbed the collars out of the bag on his dresser. He sat on the edge of the mattress down by Lance's legs and passed him Blue’s. “Here.”

Lance sat up, crossing his legs and settling Blue in his lap. She blinked sleepy, curious eyes at him with an offended little mew and Ouro started up a racket that didn't stop until Siyah nabbed her by the scruff and settled her on the pillow. “I'm sorry, babies. Blame daddy Keith here. He's the one who just can't wait to put on collars.” Lance grinned at him before hooking the bedazzled purple collar around Blue’s neck. She shook immediately, the weight unfamiliar, and scratched at it with a hind leg, sending it on a jingling spin. The noise surprised her into falling back and Lance scooped her up to rub their noses together. “ _Mi gatita linda_ , it's okay. You'll get used to it. Keith, look how sweet she looks!”

Keith reached out and rubbed under Blue’s chin, smiling at the purr he received for the attention. “She's adorable,” he agreed, and then scooted further up onto the mattress, picking Red up from where she'd rolled when Lance moved. “Come here, sweetie.” She mewed at him, tiny mouth opening wide on a yawn as he settled her into his lap. He got the collar around her neck with only minimal fussing on her part, and spun it so the bell was in front. She stood up and tipped forward slightly, not used to feeling any sort of weight wrapped around her. Keith caught her before she could go rolling face-first off his thigh, holding her up to kiss her head. “You're adorable too.”

“And they're both exhausted.” Lance passed Blue to Keith, pressing against his side so he could smile at them and their matching collars. “They probably won't keep you up tonight.”

“Yeah, that's good.” He held both of the sleepy kittens against his chest, their little bells jingling softly as they moved to curl around each other once more. God, but he couldn't break them up, he didn't want to separate them when the time came for Lance to take Blue away. He swallowed thickly, a strong wave of emotion washing over him at the thought of it. “We, uh, we should put them to bed. I'll give you a ride back to your house…”

“Yeah.” Lance pet them both. It was impossible to just pet one. They really were the closest to one another out of the kittens. Ouro and Verde were closest to Siyah and, well, Red would glue herself to mama cat in a heartbeat, but when it came to her siblings, she always found Blue first. “I... I kinda don't... I don’t want to leave you guys. It really sucks that I don’t have a bag or- or anything here. Plus, work tomorrow. Y’know. Wednesday’s gonna be the worst.”

Keith's breath hitched, fingers curling into the kittens’ fur. “I- I want you to stay too,” he murmured, not looking up from the bundle in his arms. “But I know why you can't…” That didn't make it any easier to let him go. “Why- why is Wednesday gonna be so bad?”

Lance cupped Keith’s cheek, turning his head so their lips could brush. It was like a weight off his shoulders to at least know that Keith wanted him to stay. “I've got zero time to come be a good tag-team parent. I've got ten minutes after my last class to get to work, I'm working until close and then I've got to go get Stefani from dance. She's got a show coming up, so her rehearsals are running late.”

“Oh. That sucks.” A whole evening without Lance coming over to hang out and help with the kittens meant that Keith was going to have to cut his visit at the pool short. Which also meant that Blue, who'd gotten used to seeing Lance every day for at least a little bit of time, would probably be sad the entire night. “I'll give you updates.”

“You'd better. I need to know how my little family’s doing.” Lance caressed his cheek gently. “If there's a problem, call me. I'll still do my best to get here.”

“Okay.” He leaned in for a kiss, eyes slipping shut when their lips met. Hopefully there wouldn't be any problems; he didn't want to disturb Lance while he had so much stuff going on. But Keith also knew that Lance would do practically anything for their kittens, so it was nice to know that if he did need anything, Lance would be there. “You really are a good tag-team parent.”

“I'm very proud of my position as papa Lance.” He smiled. “And at least it's only one day.”

“Yeah, it could be worse.” But it could also be better.

Lance dropped his gaze and hand to the cuddled kittens, feeling the rumbling of their purrs. “You’re not, like, mad or anything, right? You're still gonna come bug me at work?”

What? “Why would I be mad?” Keith knew that Lance had switched shifts specifically so he could have Saturday off, so he wouldn't fault him for having no extra time. “I'm not mad. And of course I'm gonna come bug you. I already said I would.”

“Okay. It just...” It felt weird. Like telling his husband he wouldn't be coming home when their babies were sick. Maybe Pidge's teasing had hit closer to home than he'd realized. “I don’t really like it, and it didn't seem like a problem until I realized everything falls on the same day. I _want_ to be here.”

“I- Yeah, I understand. I want you here too, but it’s okay.” He dropped his cheek to Lance's shoulder, snuggling closer. “Your actual family needs you too.”

This was his actual family. Even before the dating, Keith’s name would've been right in there had anyone asked him to list family members. He'd always been trusting and always clingy, so it was too easy to think of his closest friends that way. The dating just added another layer, helping him take care of a mismatched feline family piled on another, and being in love with Keith was just the icing.

But he didn't say that. Lance didn't know how to yet. He wrapped an arm around Keith’s waist and held on. “Can we just stay here a little bit longer before you take me to my house?”

“Yeah, of course.” Keith glanced down at the mattress, free of kittens, and pressed further into Lance's side. “Wanna lay down, though.”

Lance fell back without further prompting, bringing Keith with him. Their kittens were a little disgruntled by the move, but after a bit of kneading, they settled around one another again on Keith’s chest. Lance draped an arm across his waist, rolling onto his side to nuzzle into his neck. “ _Eres dulce_.”

Keith blushed, remembering the translation that Hunk provided him earlier. He wriggled a bit, careful not to disturb the two fluffballs on his chest, until he was able to slip his arm around Lance's shoulders. “You know, I lied earlier. _This_ is perfect.”

Just them and their kittens, cuddling in bed after a fun night with two of their closest friends. Lance nudged closer until their brows were touching, breaths mingling warm between them. “Any moment with you is. Even when you're being an ass.”

Keith couldn't deny that he was sometimes an ass, especially to Lance, so just smiled and pressed forward enough to be able to slot their lips together. Yeah, he felt the same way about Lance. “Just let me know when you wanna leave, babe.”

Never. Absolutely never. “Will do, pretty boy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 02: 2/9~~  
>  ~~Ch 03: 2/16~~  
>  ~~Ch 04: 2/23~~  
>  Ch 05: 3/2  
> Ch 06: 3/9  
> Ch 07: 3/9


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hover translations available for those on a computer. **Translations for those on mobile can be found[here](https://goo.gl/opKhPA)!**
> 
> I (Amy) almost completely forgot today was Thursday lol  
> This is also my favorite chapter, so enjoy! :D

Unfortunately, never had come to pass eventually. Keith had yawned, and Lance had immediately felt guilty. His boyfriend had to take him all the way home, then back. No matter how wildly he drove, it could still be at least an hour before he made it home and into bed. The next day, he at least had his car, ending up at Keith’s between classes and work, changing into the lifeguard uniform in his boyfriend’s bathroom when he ended up running late.

When he didn't come back, Blue cried at the door at dinnertime instead of eating. Keith sympathized, really. He wanted Lance to come back too, but he couldn’t. Thankfully, the kitten was soothed easily enough between Keith and Red. Lance had forgotten his jacket in his haste, so Keith pulled it on, drawing up the zipper and bundling her up in Lance's scent by cradling her to his chest beneath the fabric. She fell asleep curled up with Red with the jacket as a blanket.

And then Wednesday happened.

From Lance [06:21] _Morning, chico lindo ♡_  
From Lance [06:21] _Did I leave my jacket over there? Can't find it._

From Keith [06:28] _yeah, it's here_

He looked down at himself where he still had it on, Blue resting on his chest and purring quietly. He smiled, stroking her fur, and texted back one-handed.

From Keith [06:30] _wearing it cuz blue wouldnt eat or sleep last night_

From Lance [06:32] _< /3_  
From Lance [06:32] _Why didn’t you call me????_  
From Lance [06:33] _If it makes her feel better, keep it. Nbd_

From Keith [06:34] _didnt wanna bother u_  
From Keith [06:34] _shes fine now_

An idea formed, and Keith exited his messaging app, opening the camera instead. He snapped two pictures, one of the bulge of the jacket’s fabric that showed where Blue was and another of her curled up and still sleeping after he carefully lifted it so he wouldn't wake her. He sent both to Lance with the caption _see?_

From Lance [06:43] _Mi gatita linda!!!!!!!!!!! ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡_  
From Lance [06:44] _But call me next time! I'm serious. I really dont mind okay???_

From Keith [06:46] _okay i will. promise_

From Lance [06:50] _Okay ♡ I have to take sibs to school today, which is the only reason why I'm up this mcfreaking early_  
From Lance [6:51] _I'll buy you a coffe :) See you in eng_

From Keith [06:53] _see u ♡_

He still had another twenty minutes before he absolutely had to leave, so Keith spent them in bed with the kittens curled up all around and on him. It was hard leaving them every day, but knew that Siyah was a good adoptive mom and would take care of them in his absence. Still, he made sure to leave a small bowl of their food in the room for them, especially today since Blue hadn't eaten the night before.

His “last minute” alarm started blaring too soon for his liking, wanting to have more time lazing in bed like the kittens. But he got up anyway, changing quickly. He debated whether or not to keep Lance's jacket on, ultimately deciding to fold it up and put it in the box for Blue and Red to snuggle up on. It had both Lance's and his scents on it now, so it would hopefully keep them calm throughout the day. He could always wash it if they happened to get it dirty.

At a quarter past seven he hopped onto his bike to head back into town to make it to the school for his eight o’clock English class, cutting his commute short by taking some shortcuts and breaking a couple of traffic laws here and there. He walked into the room five minutes before class was due to start, smiling as he sat down. “Hi guys,” he greeted Pidge and Hunk across the table, turning to Lance next and kissing his cheek. “Hi babe.”

Lance blushed, still ill-prepared for the petname and sweet kiss, cupping his cheek to steal a better kiss. “Morning, pretty boy. Eat your donut before the prof gets in here.”

Keith ate it in a few bites, taking a sip of coffee to wash it down just as their professor walked in. While she allowed them to have drinks, she wasn't too keen on anyone having food. Reaching down, he grabbed Lance's hand between their chairs and squeezed gently as she began class, a silent _thanks_ in the gesture.

He squeezed back, pulling out a notebook to scribble, ‘ _Was Blue okay when you left?’_

‘ _Yeah, fine now. I left your jacket for them to sleep on._ ’

Lance smiled and drew a heart. _‘Okay. I can maybe try and squeeze in time to come over? Somewhere, idk.’_

‘ _You don't have to. I know you're busy today. They should be okay.’_

By the end of class, they'd filled up two full pages of notes. Even when Pidge and Hunk started to tease them - “You stop writing first.” “No, _you_ stop writing first.” Lance had flung a pen across the table, but he had spares and it hadn't stopped them. It was juvenile, sure, but it was kind of sweet passing notes in class even if it was only a notebook moving a few inches every minute or so.

Why were things so easy and sweet with Keith? How had they fallen so seamlessly into this rhythm?

And, ugh, why was this their only class together? Lance tugged Keith close in the hall, wrapping his arms around his waist to keep him near for a warm, lingering kiss. “I'll see you poolside later?”

“Yeah, definitely.” Keith kissed him again, not ready to leave his presence just yet. “I'll text you when I'm on my way.”

“I'll keep my phone close and break when you show up. We can raid the snack bar.” Lance gave him a squeeze. “Y’know, I'm really torn between finding an empty classroom to make out in and skip next class or skipping the rest of my classes to go home with you and play with kittens.”

Keith laughed and gave him a light shove. “As nice as that sounds, we both need to go to class, idiot.”

“Taking a skip day is very important,” Lance insisted, pressing feather-light kisses across Keith’s face. “For your health.”

“Hmm, maybe another day. I have a quiz in my physics class today.”

“Ugh.” Lance let his next kiss fall on his lips. “We'll raincheck it then. Next time, we're skipping.”

“Okay, sounds good.” Keith gave him one last kiss on the cheek then pulled away. “Now get to class. I'll see you later.”

“Alright, alright.” Lance grinned, shifting his bag over his shoulder. “Hasta la later, Keith.”

Keith laughed. “You're an idiot.”

“Pssh. Yeah, but you love me,” Lance teased, sticking his tongue out before turning away with a wave. “Later, pretty boy.”

Keith froze in throwing his own bag over his shoulder, staring at Lance’s back as he walked away. There was no way that Lance could actually know that was true… was there? He’d been trying not to be so obvious about it, but it was hard to pretend he wasn’t completely in love with Lance when he was around. Damn it. It wasn't until Lance had turned the corner before he could make himself move again, dragging his bag up his arm and finally making his way to his next class.

It wasn’t until Lance was sitting down in his next class that he realized what he'd just said. The tease wasn’t exactly unusual. He'd said it often to Hunk and, hell, it had been directed with finger guns at Pidge more than once. But it had never been tossed out to Keith. He'd been afraid of hearing a “you wish” and blurting “yeah, no shit” when he was still trying to hide the crush. Well, now that the crush was out and reciprocated, the lock on the tease had been picked.

Cheeks burning, Lance dropped into his chair and pulled his laptop out of his bag to hide behind the screen. The lock should've been tightened. Maybe a chain or two thrown on for good measure. Because, yeah, he still absolutely wanted Keith to love him. But he couldn’t just- He couldn't just _say_ that, and Keith hadn’t even denied it. He hadn’t said anything about it. But he couldn’t read too much into it, right? Keith knew he was just teasing, and that was... that was kinda worse. Shit. He couldn’t joke about love with the guy he was actually, seriously in love with! Not until Keith _knew_ he was actually, seriously in love with him. He pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes, leaning back in his chair. Ugh.

He pulled out his phone as class started and just sent Keith a string of hearts to make up for it. Hopefully, Keith would just forget it had happened and it'd never come up again. No problem.

He went through the rest of his classes sending texts back and forth, smiling when Allura sent him a few asking for updates on the kittens. He started a chat, adding Keith and Shiro to the conversation so they could get kitten updates. It kept him amused until classes ended and he had to speed to work, changing quickly and shoving his stuff in a locker. This was why he hated working Monday or Wednesday. The five hour shift was a killer after a morning of classes, but it was worse now.

Perched on a lifeguard tower usually made him feel cool as hell because, well, he was a hot lifeguard, thanks. But he just wanted to go home and cuddle with his boyfriend and play with kittens. It wasn’t even like anyone was drowning! Wednesdays were slow. It kind of sucked until his phone buzzed in the bag he had settled beside him. He dug it out, smiling at the text.

From Keith [16:24] _on my way now. be there in 10_  
From Keith [16:24] _♡_

From Lance [16:25] _♡♡ good. Save me. Im bored af. No one's even tried to drown today D:_  
From Lance [16:26] _blew my whistle at a kid like an hour ago? He flipped me off and I can't even do it back or I'll get fired_  
From Lance [16:26] _I mean I absolutely flipped him off anyway, but still._

From Keith [16:28] _don't get yourself fired, idiot. then we'd both be broke_

From Lance [16:32] _Truuuuue. Who's gonna buy our fur babies too many toys/treats?_  
From Lance [16:33] _Hurry up and get here tho. I miss your pretty face ♡_

He debated with himself a moment, scanning the pool to make sure he wasn’t going to get caught texting. There was only one other lifeguard on duty, so maybe he was also trying to do his job. Still no one drowning.

From Lance [16:35] _Eres más bonito que las estrellas en el cielo☆_

From Keith [16:39] _lance omg_  
From Keith [16:40] _btw you look really hot up on your tower_  
From Keith [16:40] :-*

Lance sat up straighter, grin spreading as he looked around the immediate vicinity of the chair rather than out at the pool. Right to his side, his boyfriend stood with his phone in hand, a smug smirk on his lips. “Keith!” he laughed. “You're such an ass.”

Keith pocketed his phone, smirk morphing into a smile. “And you're an idiot.” The temptation to climb up onto Lance’s perch with him was a strong one, but he quelled it and instead reached up to tug at the bottom hem of Lance’s swim shorts. “Now get down here and kiss me.”

“Absolutely.” Lance put his phone in his bag, picking up his walkie-talkie. “Yo, bae’s here. I'm taking my thirty.” He didn't wait for a response, switching it off as he hopped down to cup Keith's hips. “Hi.”

“Hey.” Keith stood up on his toes to press a short kiss to Lance’s lips. “Do me a favor and don’t call me bae ever again,” he laughed.

“But bae,” Lance started, unable to keep up the protest when Keith’s glare made him laugh. He kissed him again before taking his hand to lead him to the snack bar. “Come on, mullet. How’s our four-legged fam doing?”

Keith shook his head, walking alongside him across the pool deck to the snack hut. “They're fine right now. Blue actually ate something today.” He was just as concerned for her as Lance was, having taken extra care to feed her alone and by hand so she would have something in her stomach. But Lance was right the other day when he said tonight was going to be the worst, if last night when Lance left was anything to go by. “She misses you.” _So do I_.

“I'll definitely be there tomorrow, so she won't have to miss me for long.” Lance swung an arm around his waist. “I'm gonna duck in and grab a pretzel. Probably also a candy bar. You want anything?”

“I wouldn't say no to a pretzel.”

“Got it.” Lance left him by the door, but was out a few seconds later with two candy bars and two pretzels with cheese. He passed one of each to Keith, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Not much, but it's free.”

Keith blushed, mumbling “Thanks” before taking his pretzel and candy bar over to one of the far picnic tables near the fence to sit down with Lance. He knocked their knees together under the table, scooting closer to him on the bench. “So how was the rest of your day?”

“Boring. Just keep wanting to go see you and the kittens at home. I like the pictures you were sending in the group.” Lance tore the pretzel into sections. “When am I getting pictures of _mi novio lindo y mi gatita linda_?”

“Maybe I’ll send you some tonight to hold you over ‘til tomorrow.” Keith smiled as he took a bite of his pretzel.

“Promise?”

“Yeah,” he agreed, swallowing. “I promise.”

Lance leaned against him, grinning. “You'd better. And the other kittens. I'm really bummed that I'm missing out on time with them all.”

“Me too,” Keith admitted, turning to kiss his cheek. “I missed you last night.”

“I missed you too. It was weird actually going to my house after work and eating dinner at a table.” Lance took a bite of his pretzel. “I'm kinda getting used to cuddling with you on the couch.”

Keith smiled, resting his cheek on Lance’s shoulder. “I wish you could come home tonight,” he sighed, and then froze as he realized what he’d just said.

Lance wrapped an arm around Keith’s waist, keeping him close. _Home_. Keith wanted him home with him. “So do I, _chico lindo._ Tomorrow.”

“Y-yeah, tomorrow.” Keith sighed again, this time in relief, and snuggled closer to Lance.

Lance pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Thanks for taking the drive all the way out here just to spend my break with me.”

“Well, I knew I wasn't going to be able to see you tonight,” he murmured, ripping off a piece of pretzel. “So yeah, of course I was gonna come hang out with you.”

He was too sweet. How was Keith this much of a secret sweetheart? Like, yeah, after just a few days of actually being around him outside of school made it easy to see that he was kind of a socially awkward dork with little knowledge of pop culture, but sweet? That was still new and Lance loved it. He shifted and cupped his chin, stealing a quick kiss. “Seriously, is it Friday yet?”

Keith chuckled quietly. “I wish.” Oh, how he did wish it was Friday already. He was glad for the slow pace they were trying to keep, but it was seriously hard. “But it’s already Wednesday.”

Lance sighed gustily, over-dramatic enough to make Keith’s lips quirk. “Okay. I'm really ready for Friday now, though. I'm tired of snatches of time. I just want...” He wanted to stay. “More time with you.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Thirty minutes, they found, was definitely not enough time to spend how they wanted, but it was better than what Keith was originally going to get. By the time Lance’s break ended, they'd had just enough time to finish eating and make out for a couple minutes under the shade of the table’s umbrella before Lance had to go back to his post. Keith had pulled him close for a lingering parting kiss at the gate, waving over his shoulder as he hopped onto his bike for the ride back home.

When Keith got home the first thing he did was open his bedroom door, three kittens and a cat tumbling out. He had to step over them carefully to get to the box where he was sure Blue still was, but when he looked inside, she was nowhere to be found. “Blue?” he called out, “Blue?!”

There was movement inside Lance’s jacket and he let out a relieved sigh, reaching in to unfold the fabric slowly. He found her curled up in one of the pockets, mewing sadly. “Aw, sweetie, I know.” It broke his heart to see her like this, so he lifted the jacket out of the box and slipped it on. “But Papa Lance won't be home tonight,” he told her sorrowfully, sliding his hand into the pocket to pet her. His words did nothing to soothe her, though, and she just mewed quietly as he moved through the cabin.

He gave Red her formula and fed the others, playing with them for a bit before settling them down to bed. Verde and Ouro were out first, curled up in the back of the box, one on top of the other. Keith smiled at them, moving to set Red down, but she dug her claws into him, refusing to let go. “It’s time for bed for you too, brat.” She stared up at him with wide, sad eyes, and he knew she was missing Blue. Sighing heavily, he relented and picked her back up. “Fine, I have to make sure she eats anyway. Come on.” He slipped her into the other pocket, grinning when he saw her little head poke out, and walked back into the kitchen.

Blue hadn't stopped whining the whole time he'd been tending to the other kittens, still curled into a tiny ball in his pocket. Keith grabbed a supplement and treat from the cupboard, and poured a small amount of the dry kitten food in a bowl in the hopes he could get her to eat _something_. He was not going to be a bad tag-team parent, damn it, especially not to her.

He walked back out to the couch and finally pulled Blue from the pocket, heart breaking all over again at the depressed look on her face. “It’s okay, Blue,” he muttered, trying to soothe her with a hand stroking down her back. “Lance will be home tomorrow.” He held out the supplement for her, frowning when she only sniffed and turned her nose up at it. “Sweetie, you have to eat.” She only mewed at him and laid down on his lap.

Red jumped out of the other pocket, Keith having to catch her before she fell off the couch completely and setting her on his lap too. She immediately cuddled up close to her sister, resting her head on top of Blue’s. Keith smiled and pulled out his phone for a photo, sending it to Lance with a text that said _Blue misses you a lot_.

From Lance [19:42] _♡ I miss her too. And you. And pequeña princesita. They look sweet ♡_  
From Lance [19:43] _How do you look? ;p_

From Keith [19:45] _like I did when I left?_  
From Keith [19:46] _wearing your jacket though cuz she wouldnt stop crying_

He kept the fact that she still hadn't eaten to himself, not wanting to make Lance worry too much, hoping that he'd be able to get her fed at some point tonight. He held the treat in front of her next, smiling when she at least ate that.

From Lance [19:59] _< /3  Let me know if that changes. Gotta get Stefani home and fed_  
From Lance [20:00] _#BigBroLife_

From Keith [20:02] _you're dumb. but I'll let you know ♡_

Keith put his phone on the coffee table, picking up the bowl of food that he'd measured out, and lifted a piece up to Blue's nose. “Please eat this.” She licked it once and looked up at him, eyes drooping. “Blue…” He picked her up, ignoring Red’s mews of discontent, and perched her on his shoulder. “Would this be better?” He lifted the food again, scratching behind her ear when she took it. The crunching was loud right next to his ear, but it was a small price to pay to know that she wasn't going to go through the night starving.

He managed to get her to eat a few more pieces before she eventually turned her nose up at them. “Alright,” he relented when she refused to eat another one. “I guess that's enough. I'll definitely give you another treat, though.” She got put back into the pocket and Keith slipped Red in with her so they could cuddle, making his way into the kitchen again. They both got a treat, and he decided that that was as good as he could get for the night.

Not wanting to disturb the others, Keith placed the jacket on his bed so he could grab a quick shower before bed. He folded it so the pocket Red and Blue were in was on top near the pillow and went into the bathroom. After showering and cleaning up a bit, he slipped into bed around ten o’clock, setting his phone on the bedside table.

An hour and a half later Keith was woken up by mewing and soft fur brushing against his cheek. Blinking open bleary eyes, he saw Blue next to him on the pillow, mouth open wide and crying incessantly. “Sweetie, come on.” He pet her until she calmed down a bit and stopped mewing before rolling onto his side to fall back asleep.

Not even an hour after that he was woken again, Blue’s crying louder this time and disturbing the other kittens since he could hear them moving around in the box. “Okay. Okay, fine.” Groaning, he reached for his phone and pulled up Lance's contact. It was midnight, and he grimaced as he hit the green “Call” button to ring Lance. It rang four times before it was picked up.

“Muh?”

“Lance.”

Lance yawned. “Uh. Yeah?”

Keith smiled sleepily at the sound of his yawn. “It’s Keith.”

“I know, _mi amor_. What d’you want?” Lance rolled over, checking the time with another yawn. Just after midnight, yay. Why would Keith be calling at- _oh!_ He sat up, rubbing an eye as he tried to wake himself up. “Are you okay? Are the babies okay?”

“I'm fine, but-” Keith turned back onto his side, holding the phone closer to Blue, whose cries had quieted some, but were still constant. “She’s been like this for the past three hours.”

Lance’s breath hitched, the sounds breaking his heart. “Give me ten minutes. I'll be over.”

“Lance. Lance, there’s no way you can make it in ten minutes. I live almost an hour away…”

He hummed, already out of bed and searching for his favorite slippers. “You’re right. Twenty minutes. Wait, twenty-two. I have to clean my face. Whatever, I'm on my way.” He hung up, trying to pocket his phone and only blinking at it when it fell. Right. Pajama bottoms. No pockets. He grabbed his robe and tried again, satisfied this time, and started to shove clothes into one of his bags in a frenzy before stealing into the bathroom to wash his facial mask from his skin. If he got pulled over for breaking all the traffic laws, his mugshot wasn’t going to have his cleanser in it. It was _green_. The look would not be cute.

Also, Keith would see it. Eventually that would be okay, but they hadn't even had sex yet. Mm. Friday, though...

He blinked at himself in the mirror, water dripping from the tip of his nose. Wait, what was he doing? Kitten, right. His sweet little baby cat was crying for him, and his sweet little boyfriend needed him to soothe her.

He stumbled back to his room, pushing his toothbrush into the overnight bag, and swung it over his shoulder. His school bag went next and he was out the door. Into it first because he was so not awake yet, but eventually out. He made it down the stairs without incident, nabbing his keys. The cold air was a slap, flushing his cheeks and sending wakening shivers down his spine. It was easy to forget how chilled the desert area could get once the sun fell, but he didn't dwell on it.

Driving with the windows down kept him awake enough not to fall asleep at the wheel as he did absolutely turn the forty-five minute drive into a twenty-five minute one thanks to deserted streets and being too tired to care that only two wheels were on pavement when he'd taken a sharp corner just a hair too fast.

He tripped on Keith’s porch, falling into the door. The code was punched in by muscle memory, the bags both getting dropped unceremoniously in the hallway as he made his way to Keith’s bedroom. He pushed the door open, offended by the light he had on. “Hi. I'm late. I forgot to add packing to my promised twenty-two minutes.”

Keith looked up, smiling softly as Lance walked over to the bed. “It’s fine. I'm glad you came.”

“Uh-huh.” Lance flopped onto the bed face-first, only looking up when the distant, sad mewing was right by his ear. “ _Ay, mi gatita linda, está bien. Estoy aquí._.” He rolled onto his side, stroking Blue’s side as the distressed sounds faded. They didn't completely stop, though, so he sat up and pushed his robe off, actually letting it fall to the floor. He scooped her up, cradling her close to his chest before scooting closer to Keith. He dropped his cheek onto the pillow, letting their lips brush in soft greeting. “I'm staying.”

 _Forever?_ Keith wanted to ask, but bit it back. Instead he whispered, “Thank you,” and reached over to switch the lamp off, casting the room in shadows.

Lance settled in like he belonged, legs tangling with Keith’s when he wiggled beneath the blankets. Blue was still mewing, the sounds slowing and growing softer the longer Lance kept her close. He scratched her behind the ear, rolling onto his back so she could rest above his heart. “Is it just her? How's everybody else?”

“Red was upset because Blue was, but everyone else is still sleeping.” Keith readjusted himself, turning onto his side and slinging his arm over Lance’s waist. Red was inside the jacket pocket still in the corner of the bed because Keith couldn't bring himself to disturb her.

“Okay.” Lance sighed, turning his head to press a kiss to Keith’s brow. “‘M glad you called me.”

“Yeah,” he replied, lifting his other hand to stroke Blue’s fur now that she was content on Lance’s chest. “Me too. I- Seriously, thanks for making the drive.”

“Anything for you, _mi amor_. And for my baby.” When she finally started to purr, tiny paws kneading the fabric of his pajama top, Lance's smile softened. “Definitely no more staying away for a whole day.”

Fingers curling into Lance’s shirt, Keith laughed breathlessly against his neck. “No, definitely not. I don't think either Blue or me could handle it.”

“I can’t.” Keith was so warm against him, so right pressed so close. Blue’s purrs were soft and soothing, lulling Lance into sleepy contentment. He'd never shared a bed with a partner without sex being involved, but the thought didn’t linger. He was where he wanted to be. He was home. “ _Te extrañé, chico lindo. Quiero estar contigo para siempre._ ”

“What’s all that mean?” Keith asked in a whisper.

“‘Missed you,’” he mumbled, too tired and too content to lie or hide. “‘Wanna be with you forever.’ _Soy tuyo_.” Eyes drifting shut, Lance groped blindly for Keith’s hand and tangled their fingers. “‘I'm yours,’ Keith.”

Keith's breath hitched, his grip tightening in Lance’s. It was too late for this, both of them only half-awake and half-aware of what was going on. But Keith had definitely understood Lance there, and he pressed a wet kiss to the skin of Lance’s neck. “S-same. To all of that. I'm yours, Lance. Forever.”

“ _Mi novio lindo es muy bonito_ ,” Lance sighed, nestling his nose in Keith’s hair. Spanish spilled so much easier than English when he was tired. “ _Buenas noches,_ _chico lindo_.”

Keith smiled, not even caring what the Spanish meant this time, but at least recognizing _noches_ out of all of it, and snuggled impossibly closer. This was all his and it would be forever. “Night, Lance. Get some sleep, babe.”

Lance hummed, “ _te amo_ ” on the tip of his tongue, but it went no further than that as he drifted off.

A blaring alarm made him whine a few hours later, his face buried in soft hair and arms wrapped around a warm body that wriggled away in spite of Lance’s moaned protests. But the alarm stopped, the warm body pressing close again, and Lance settled back in. There were two little warm bundles against the back of his head, so he shifted to give them more room on the pillow and snuggled even closer to the source of warmth.

Yawning, Keith dragged Lance closer with one arm tossed over his middle, shoving his face back into the crook of his neck where it had been before the alarm started. He'd only snoozed it, so it would go off again in another ten minutes, but it gave him some more time to just doze off with Lance clinging to him. His eyes slipped shut, letting sleep take him back over with Lance pressed close.

Lance hummed, trapped somewhere between sleep and wakefulness as he anticipated the second round of alarms. His phone normally woke him up via playlist, so it wasn't his alarm. He felt movement behind him on the pillow, the squeaky little mew of a yawn helping clue him in. Keith was the warmth. He was with Keith, in Keith's bed, snuggled close to Keith. And then there were little paws walking across his shoulder, so he opened one eye to watch Red tangle herself in Keith's hair and burrow in. The next set of paws were Blue's, his kitten draping herself across his face, making him close his eye again and fight away a giggle.

When the alarm blared again, Lance had to move her, leaning over Keith to hit snooze himself, and then let his hand stroke down Keith's side beneath the blankets. His palm rested over a curved hip, smile widening. He wasn't very good at being woken up, but he could do anything with the right motivation. It was a school morning, he had kittens, and he had Keith - the first sucked, but the last two were amazingly motivating. He bumped his nose against Keith's. He was so pretty in the morning with his eyes still closed. Sweet and peaceful and the most beautiful person Lance had ever seen. “ _Mi novio bonito_ ,” he murmured, tilting forward just enough to press their lips together.

“Mm.” Keith turned his head to get a better angle for the kiss, keeping his eyes shut because he wasn't ready to wake up yet, didn't want to face the reality of having to leave Lance's warm embrace to get up and go to school. He tightened his hold around Lance, parting his lips to deepen the kiss even while Red’s claws dug into his scalp uncomfortably.

Lance's hand slid up, stroking Red to give her the demanded attention so their kiss could spin out. He needed to brush his teeth - they both did - but it didn't take away from the feeling, the bubble of loving warmth that traveled through Lance's veins as he curled his fingers in Keith's shirt and held him close in awe that he was even able to. He was able to wake up with his boyfriend and their kittens, their little family connected and whole and, god, Lance wanted this every day. Every morning. 

His own words echoed through his head, and though it embarrassed him that he'd translated the romantic sentiments so easily, they still rang true. He wanted to stay with him forever, wanted to belong to Keith and Keith alone. And, oh, he hoped Keith still meant what he said. Lance wanted to keep him right back. 

The kiss broke when the alarm started up again, Keith groaning and reaching back to smack at it. He rolled back over and kissed Lance again, pulling away after only a second, grimacing. “Ugh, morning breath.” But he smiled, curling his fingers into the fabric over Lance's chest, pressing kisses to his jaw instead.

“You were okay with morning breath two seconds ago,” Lance complained, tilting his head to give him access wherever he wanted it. “But hi. Good morning, pretty boy.”

Keith hummed against the skin at Lance's throat, mouthing at his Adam's apple. It _was_ a good morning, being able to wake up next to his amazing boyfriend whom he loved with all of his heart and their kittens surrounding them with even more warmth and love. Yeah, he could get used to this, _wanted_ to get used to this. Forever. “Morning, babe.”

Lance squirmed against him, smile and eyes bright. It was the best morning he'd had in... a very long time. Probably the best morning ever. Blue mewed, plodding across the pillow to get to Red, and he grinned. Definitely the best morning ever. “I really just want to stay here the rest of the day. Let's do that.”

Keith paused in his lazy exploration of Lance's neck, thinking. He didn't have anything important going on in his classes today, and the thought of just spending the day with Lance was really just too tempting to care about skipping school for a day. His lips started on their trail again, honing in on the mark he'd left on Lance's jaw. “I’d actually be okay with that.”

“I-Really? I still have to go to work, but I don't have anything important in my classes today. So... can we really just stay here?”

“As long as you brush your teeth, yeah. I want to.”

“You need to brush yours too, ass.” Lance plucked Blue up, rolling onto his back to hold her above his head. “Guess who's staying home with you, pretty kitty!” She waved her front paws, mewing until Lance let her back down and kissed the top of her head. “Yeah, I am. That's my good girl.”

Keith smiled and reached up to untangle Red from his hair, setting her on the pillow in front of his face. She swatted at him lazily before licking the tip of his nose. “Good morning to you too, brat.” He leaned forward enough to kiss her head, scratching under her chin. “We're gonna be home all day to play with you guys.”

Lance captured Keith's free hand, pressing a kiss to the palm. “I need to go figure out what I did with my toothbrush last night. I'm not sure which bag I put it in.” He settled Blue right on top of Red, his kitten settling down atop the tabby like she belonged there, licking the back of her ear fondly. “Perfect. Be right back.”

“M’right behind you,” Keith mumbled, though he made no move to actually get up. Instead he curled further into the covers as Lance’s body heat left the bed, his eyes closing again.

Grinning, Lance grabbed his robe off the floor where he'd dropped it and dug into the pocket to get his phone. It wasn't dead, thankfully, so he sent off a text to the older sister who still lived with him. She'd let his parents know in case there was any worry over his whereabouts, though he left out the part about skipping classes. Smiling, he let the robe fall onto a chair in the corner of the room, but when he turned, Blue was standing on the corner of the bed, watching him. “I'm not leaving you,” he promised, but her rump wiggled in preparation to jump when he went towards the door so he picked her up. “Okay, you can come with me.”

He smiled down at his boyfriend, heart swelling. He looked as precious as could be, dozing with his kitten curled up close. Not exactly right behind him, but he let it slide. He carried his kitten out of the room, cradled in the crook of one arm as he dug through his overnight bag. He bypassed his clothes, comfortable in pajamas, and sighed when he realized that he'd forgotten his toothpaste. “Guess I'm gonna have to suffer with cinnamon, Blue.” 

She mewed, rubbing the top of her head against the underside of his chin. “ _Mi gatita linda_ ,” he chuckled, kissing the top of her head before rising to take his toothbrush into the bathroom. He set her on the counter and brushed quickly, having to stop her from swatting at the water more than once. 

“Aren't you supposed to hate water?” he wondered, setting his toothbrush into the holder with Keith's after a brief hesitation. She slid down the sink, looking up at the faucet, and swatted at it as if that would start it up. Lance bit his lip and went to the tub to snag the kitten shampoo they'd bought off the lip. If she wanted to play in it, he was going to actually take the chance and get her clean.

He set her back on the counter before switching the water back on, getting it to a safe temperature before letting her slide back down the side. She swatted at the water before settling herself beneath the stream, licking her muzzle as the water trickled down. Lance laughed, pushing his sleeves up before rubbing her down to help the water spread more evenly through her fur. She didn't seem to mind, Lance laughing again when she shook herself out and splattered him with droplets. “¡ _Basta_! _Eres una gatita linda, ¡pero eres loca_!” 

He lowered the water pressure, then poured shampoo into his palm before rubbing it into her fur. She went from gray to white with the bubbles, but tried to lick them off herself. “Blue, ¡ _basta_! _Te vas a poner enfermo_.” He upped the water pressure, distracting her so he could rinse her off. “There we go. My pretty, clean little girl.”

Just as Lance was lifting her out of the sink with a towel, Keith wandered into the bathroom, rubbing sleep from his eyes with Red perched on his shoulder. He smiled at them and reached for his toothbrush but stopped short, the sight of Lance's fancy blue one next to his generic red one making his heart flutter. Smiling, he plucked his out of the cup and smeared toothpaste on it to clean his teeth.

After he'd rinsed the last of it from his mouth, he leaned up to give Lance a proper kiss, petting Blue’s head now that she was dried off some. “We should give the rest of them a bath today too.”

“They probably won't be as easy to deal with as Blue, but yeah. I think they trust us enough to let us bathe them without us traumatizing them.” He crouched to set Blue down so she could shake herself out, grinning when she darted in wild circles around him. She tripped trying to change directions and tumbled into his slipper. Laughing, Lance draped the towel over her again for another rubdown while she mewed happily.

“She is not normal,” Keith laughed, tongue tingling pleasantly from their cinnamon-flavored kiss. “But since we're up, we should feed everyone. And then take a nap because I'm still tired. I can't imagine that you aren't either.”

“Yeah, but I have my kittens and my really gorgeous boyfriend right here.” With Blue swaddled in the towel, he rose and stole another kiss from Keith. “Who needs sleep when I've got all this?”

“I do,” Keith argued, smiling and taking Red down from her perch on his shoulder. She let out an annoyed mew, having been content to just stay in the crook of his neck all day, and batted his nose when he held her in front of his face. Laughing, he tucked her into the bend of his arm, petting her head with his other hand. He looked back at Lance, cradling Blue in his arms like an actual baby, and felt his stomach flip. “Okay,” he conceded, “I suppose you have a point.”

“I always have a point and I'm usually always right, pretty boy. You're just a little slower than everyone else in picking this fact up.” Lance stuck his tongue out and carried Blue from the room so they could get the rest of their feline family. Ouro and Verde were already out of the box, Verde zig-zagging under the bed and back out, a squeaking toy trapped in her teeth. Ouro was content to bat at Siyah's tail. Or she gave it her best shot, hopping in place and swatting one paw until she overbalanced. Lance set Blue down, untangling her from the towel so she could play. When she only followed him, guilt tugged at his heartstrings. He'd have to leave her again when it was time for work, and that would probably be awful, but he wouldn't be leaving her right then. But it did make him wonder, what if she had this sort of separation anxiety with the other kittens? With Siyah? 

Lance tugged off his damp pajama top, tossing it onto the chair with his robe, and crouched back down to pet his kitten. Really, if there was anyone who she was going to have separation anxiety with, it would be Red. She and the smallest kitten were thick as thieves, reacting to one another's moods. Lance hadn't been there, but he didn't doubt that Red had been as distressed as Blue the night before, if only because Blue was upset. He sat on the floor, Verde sailing into him so they could play, and Blue curled herself up in his lap with no sign of leaving. “I don't know what I'm gonna do with her when I have to go to work, Keith. She's probably just gonna end up being sad again.”

That was probably exactly what was going to happen, and Keith didn't think that he could take another night of her heartbreaking depression. He dropped onto the floor next to Lance, letting Red zip off to play with Ouro, though she kept one eye on Blue the whole time, and leaned into his boyfriend’s side. Without thinking too much about it, he grabbed Lance’s hand, lacing their fingers, and said, “So stay here. I mean, after work. Come home.”

 _Come home._ The words played back in his mind, fingers flexing around Keith's. It wasn't “come here” or “come to my place”, but “come _home_.” Like this was his home as much as it was Keith's. He wanted it to be. He ached for this place to be home. He knew it as well as he knew his house, more so now that he'd helped turn it into home for the kittens. But it was temporary for four of the five felines they'd rescued from beneath his porch not even a full week ago. He didn't want it to be temporary for him. Keith wasn't temporary for him.

Lance swallowed, giving his hand a squeeze. “Another sleepover? Not scared you'll be tired of me by Saturday morning?”

“I'll never be tired of you, Lance,” he promised, tilting his head to rest his cheek on Lance’s shoulder. “I meant what I said last night. Forever.”

Lance slid the toy across the floor, Verde bounding after it and pouncing, grabbing it in her teeth as she tumbled onto her back. He watched her because it was safer than trying to look at Keith. “I, um... I meant what I said too.” His heart hammered in his chest, thundering against his ribs. “ _Quiero estar contigo para siempre_. _Te_...”

Spanish was for family, and this was something he'd only said to family. Perched on the floor with frolicking kittens running about the room they'd shared the night before because Keith had called him, needed him, weren't they family? A very odd, cobbled together sort of family. “Do you only want me here tonight to keep Blue happy, or... do you want me here for you, too?”

Keith’s stomach flipped again, and if it didn't stop doing that, he was going to be sick, but Lance’s words were ricocheting around in his head. How could he think that Keith _didn't_ want him here for himself too? “I want you here for _us_ , including me.” His grip tightened on Lance's hand and he tipped his head back to press his nose into Lance's neck, mouthing the words against his skin, “I love you.”

Lance's breath hitched. “Oh. Oh, shit, I psyched myself out of saying it first. I'm such an idiot!” Blue jumped to Keith's lap when Lance moved, turning to cup his cheeks and bring their lips together.

Keith moaned into the kiss, a hand lifting to steal into Lance’s hair, the other dropping to his lap to settle Blue. Their tongues met in the space between their mouths, happily lapping at each other as Keith’s heart tried to beat its way out of his chest. Lance said he’d psyched himself out of saying it _first_. So that meant-

“Lance!” Keith ended it on a gasp, hand falling to grip Lance’s shoulder. “I- You-?”

“I love you. I love you, Keith. _Te amo, chico lindo._ I'll tell you in every way I know how.” Lance kissed him again. “ _Siempre te amaré_.”

“I- god, I love you so much, Lance.” He slipped his hand down Lance's bare chest, wrapping around his waist as best he could in their current position and with Blue still in his lap. At that moment, Keith just really wanted a hug, but was content to sit on the floor with him a while longer with their kittens still playing. “So you'll stay?”

Lance laughed, wrapping an arm around his waist to press him as close as possible. “Good luck getting me out, mullet.”

“Never.” Keith squeezed him before letting go, leaning back to look down at Blue, who was purring lightly. “We need to get these guys fed, especially Blue. She only ate a few pieces of food last night.”

He looked down at his kitten, sweeping her up and rising. He couldn’t let his little girl go hungry. “Oh my god, how are you supposed to be the best cat when you're not eating? Come on, Red.” He scooped her up next, smiling when Blue batted her playfully. “I'm calling feeding them. You can deal with the other three. I want our babies.”

Keith would have protested, but Lance hadn't gotten to see any of them at all yesterday, so let him haul their two kittens out of the room. He reached over and grabbed Ouro, plucking Verde out of the box that she'd crawled back into to play with the towel. Siyah followed him when he got up, walking out into the kitchen where Lance was busy mixing Red's formula. Keith plopped his armful down on the counter and took their bowl and food from the cupboard. “Are you gonna take them out to the couch again?”

“That's the plan.” Lance leaned over and kissed his cheek, feeling giddy as it settled around him. Keith loved him. _Keith_ loved _him_. He'd waited a year for it, for all of this, and it was actually happening in the most unexpected of ways. “You love me.”

“I do.” Keith blushed, but smiled through it while he measured out the food for Ouro and Verde, and then Siyah. “And you love me.” And Keith was still just as ecstatic about that fact as he was when Lance first said it.

“Yeah. I really do.” Blue was inching towards the food bowls, so Lance gave her a supplement to chew, and finished Red’s formula. “Do I still have to wait until tomorrow to get my hands on you?”

“As tempting as it is to say no… yes.” By now there was no point in waiting anymore, but Keith kind of just wanted to spend the day hanging out with Lance some more, playing with the kittens, maybe take another nap or two. Then Lance had to work later, and he'd much rather have actual time to spend with him without it being cut short. He felt that the anticipation would only make it better for them in the end anyway. “But at least it's tomorrow.”

Lance sighed heavily, but his eyes were bright with amusement. “Killjoy.”

“Shitlord.” Keith smirked and leaned over to steal another kiss. “Now come on. Let's go cuddle on the couch while the little ones eat.”

Lance balanced Blue and Red in one arm, their food on the other, leaving Keith to feed the other three. “Alright, _mis gatitas_ , you're both gonna eat. Especially you, Blue. You can’t get healthy otherwise.” He settled the usual cloth across his lap, setting Blue’s food dish on the floor. She sat on his foot as if her tiny self could keep him in place, chirping as she crunched her food. Lance smiled at her before letting Red situate herself, little tongue lapping at the end before he'd even started feeding her. “You’re so smart, _pequeña princesita_ ,” he murmured. “I'll be so sad-glad when we don't have to feed you like this anymore.”

Keith came into the living room after making sure that the other three were fed. They followed him closely, Ouro nearly tripping over her feet in excitement until Siyah gave her a nudge to keep her steady. He shook his head, plopping down on the couch next to Lance, Red still happily licking up her food. Blue had finished eating and was scratching at Lance's pant leg to be picked up, so Keith bent over and did so, keeping her on his thigh while Red was eating. “You're a good girl for eating your food all up,” he praised, scratching behind her ear.

She purred, hunkering down in preparation to spring to the other lap when she got a chance. Lance would've pet her if he didn't need both hands. “She's always a good girl. Red’s almost there. She just needs more time for Blue to teach her what's what.”

“Yeah…” Keith kept her from pouncing with a hand on her back. She mewed in annoyance, rolling onto her back and swatting at his fingers. He laughed and wiggled them so she could occupy herself with trying to hit him. “You know, they'd have all the time in the world if Blue stayed here.”

Lance’s heart skipped, watching them play so he didn't have to risk Keith seeing the hope rising. “She’s only staying as long as I do.”

Keith laid his other hand on Lance's thigh since both of his hands were busy. “Then will you stay too?”

“Why do you keep saying these monumental things when we've got kittens everywhere?” Lance rubbed Red’s belly when she squeaked at him, unhappy that the steady flow of food had stopped. “Yeah, I'll stay too.” He looked up. “I want to stay at home.”

“Yeah, home.” Keith smiled and squeezed his leg, leaning over to press a kiss to Lance's lips. This was really happening. “Home” hadn't just accidentally slipped out those few times in conversation. Lance wanted it too. “I love you,” he murmured when he pulled back.

“I love you too, Keith. Holy crow.” Lance laughed, setting the empty syringe aside and letting Red roll over. “This is, like, the best skip day ever. In case you were wondering.”

“You sure it's not just the best day ever? Because that's what it feels like to me.” Keith could hardly believe that this was all actually happening, afraid that he was still dreaming, that he was going to wake up in an empty bed with a crying kitten next to his face. He let go of Blue now that Red was done, her claws digging into the skin of his leg below the hem of his boxers as she pounced into Lance's lap. The sharp sting made him realize that no, this was definitely not a dream. _Thank god_. “We should go back to bed. I want to snuggle with you some more.”

“That’s a good plan.” He lifted Red and Blue again, holding them both to his cheeks as he smiled at his boyfriend. “And after work, I get to come home and cuddle with you even more.”

“Yeah you do.” Smiling, he bopped Red on the nose and laughed when she swiped at his finger. “Brat.”

“Only because you antagonize her.” Lance rose, shifting them to the crook of his arm so he could pet Verde, who was very proud at the top of the scratching post. They’d definitely have to relinquish that to Pidge when Verde was ready to go home. “Come on, kittens. You too, Siyah. Post-breakfast naptime, let’s go.”

Keith got up to follow him, scooping up the other two kittens and leaving Siyah to walk into the bedroom - _their_ bedroom - behind them. He shut the door before setting them down in the box. Ouro got the message and settled into the blanket to sleep, but Verde was still trying to play with Siyah. “Alright, I won't try to stop you.” Siyah kept sticking her paw out every time Verde got close to her anyway, so he knew it wouldn't be long until Verde gave up and went to sleep.

Leaning down, he gave Siyah a quick scratch behind the ear, smiling at her soft purring, before joining Lance and their kittens on the bed. He crawled under the covers and scooted as close as he could, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist and nosing at his collarbone. He dropped a few kisses there, then made a path up to Lance's lips, spending a few moments just pressed together.

Lance would’ve liked nothing more than to let Keith continue his kisses, would’ve been happy to set a trail of his own over Keith’s skin. But Red and Blue were playing at their feet and bouncing about. They couldn’t be ignored and Lance didn’t particularly want to. The little family of five had helped bring him and Keith together and Lance loved them as much as he did the guy pressed so snug and warm against him.

Besides, now that he was actually laying down again, he was reminded just how tired he actually still was. He’d gone to bed late as it was for him, just to be woken up to make the drive through town, It had been worth it. He pressed a smiling kiss to Keith’s forehead. “I may have said this already, but whatever. I’m really glad you called me last night.”

“Hm, you did already say that, but yeah, I'm glad I called too.” Keith laughed when one of the kittens brushed against the bottom of his foot, and finally let go of Lance to reach down and haul one of them out of the sheets. It was Blue that he had in his grasp, Red shooting up on the other side of Lance to hop onto the pillow. “Okay, that's enough,” he chastised, though there was barely any sternness in his tone. “Time for sleep.” He plopped Blue down onto Lance's jacket that was still folded up in the corner of the bed, and she burrowed happily into the pocket, Red right behind her.

He smiled, turning back to Lance and cuddling against him again. His eyes had closed already but his breathing hadn't yet evened out, so Keith pressed a quick kiss to his lips and tucked his face into the crook of his neck. “Love you.”

“Mmhm. _Te amo también_ , _chico lindo_.” Lance sighed quietly, content to be curled in close to his boyfriend. His family.

Keith stayed awake a little bit longer, long enough that Lance’s breathing turned slow and steady and he could hear the rumbling purrs of two sleeping, content kittens in the corner of the bed. When the sun was just beginning to peek in through the blinds over the window, he finally shut his eyes, curling his fingers into the waistband of Lance’s pajama pants and cuddling closer. He fell asleep after only a few more minutes, knowing that when he next woke up, the rest of their day - the rest of their life together - would be just beginning.

It was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 02: 2/9~~  
>  ~~Ch 03: 2/16~~  
>  ~~Ch 04: 2/23~~  
>  ~~Ch 05: 3/2~~  
>  Ch 06: 3/9  
> Ch 07: 3/9


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the naughty chapter. ;P Please note rating change.
> 
> Also, it's technically Thursday, so I'm gonna post chapter 6 now early morning and chapter 7 later. haha
> 
> Hover translations available for those on a computer. **Translations for those on mobile can be found[here](https://goo.gl/rbR5ZK)!**

It was a good thing they didn’t have classes Fridays. Lance didn’t think he’d survive them. It had been hard enough going to work the day before, but there’d been something really exciting in leaving work and heading home to someone who kissed him in the kitchen with kittens playing at their feet. Exciting and right and, cripes, Lance was happy loving Keith. He was happy naturally, gravitating towards positive vibes like a moth to a flame, but he’d been feeling stirrings of discontent. Who would’ve thought it would just take five mismatched cats and a cabin in the middle of nowhere to wrap him up in contentment? Not to mention the guy who owned the cabin wrapping him up in warm embraces and bestowing warmer kisses. It was impossible not to be happy with all of that.

Even though he was still the biggest asshole in the entire world.

Lance dropped his controller to the coffee table, tilting his head to glare at his boyfriend. They weren’t on the same team, so he didn’t sit on his lap, but he was content to sit on the floor in front of him with Blue and Red curled in his lap. “Y’know what, you’re not allowed to play as Kirby anymore. I banish you to the Ice Climbers or something. Because you suck.”

“Fine, I'll be Marth next round.” That way he'd have a character with a sword and could kick Lance's ass when he inevitably picked Luigi again. Even though he'd told Lance time and time again that Luigi was one of the most useless characters on the field.

“You only want to play as Marth because he’s a girly-looking gay emo kid, just like you.”

Pidge snorted, scratching Verde behind the ear. “So you’re into girly-looking gay emo kids, Lance?”

“Wha-? Shut up! No! Just-” Why couldn’t he ever come up with a good comeback? “Shut up!”

“Good one,” Keith laughed, lightly kicking Lance in the thigh with the one foot he had on the floor. “Maybe you should try winning this time.”

“I’ll sic Blue on you,” he threatened, his kitten stretching lazily when she heard her name, just to settle back down with her chin atop Red’s back. “See? She’s an alert predator.” She purred when he stroked her back. 

Keith bent down over Lance to scratch behind her ear, smiling into Lance's hair when she mewed and pressed her head more firmly into his hand. “Oh yeah, such a fearsome predator.” He dropped a kiss to the top of Lance’s head as he sat back up.

“Only because I haven’t sicced her on you yet. Don’t doubt my baby.” Lance rested his cheek against Keith’s thigh, amused. “Maybe I’ll get Red to attack you instead. She’s scratched you plenty.”

“Because she's a brat.” She lifted her head at the term, becoming as familiar with it as her own name, and blinked up at him questioningly. He smiled at her, wiggling his fingers in a wave. “But she's my brat, and she'd never attack me, so your plan will fail.”

Lance pet her until she settled back down and picked up his controller to select Luigi again. If he could just win one round with him, he could flaunt his success and switch to a decent character. But he had to win at least once, too stubborn to quit just yet. “Doubting me in my own home. That’s messed up.”

Hunk looked up. He didn’t have a controller, choosing to play with Ouro instead of battling. “Hang on, what?”

Lance’s smirk was smug. “Did I stutter?” A squeaky plush toy smacked him in the side of the head. “Ow, Pidge!” 

“Meme loser.”

Keith laughed and high-fived Pidge over the couch cushions. “You deserved it, shitlord.”

“Wait, I’m still trying to figure this out. _Your_ home? Like- like you live here now?”

Lance chucked the toy Hunk’s way so he could squeak it for Ouro. “Keith and I decided that we couldn’t split Red and Blue up. Plus, he totally loves me, so there’s that too.”

“Oh, Keith, I’m so sorry. Has your sanity been gone long? Is there no hope of finding it?”

“Pidge!”

“Just remember that this,” Keith defended, gesturing to himself and Lance while staring at Pidge, “is your fault, both of you. You wanted this to happen.” He smiled and moved his leg to drape it over Lance's shoulder. “And if I'm crazy, it's only for Lance.”

Lance looked up, laying a hand on his shin. “Aw, I'm crazy about you too, mullet.”

Pidge shook her head. “You're crazy about a lot of things, though. Kind of loses its punch.”

“Hey!”

She smiled innocently, and Hunk chuckled. “So do you need help moving your stuff? My car’s bigger than yours.”

“Hunk, buddy, my man, this is why I love you. Still have to work out when I can get everything, but yeah. My hatchback and Keith’s bike aren't gonna cut it.”

“Your skincare would be two trips by itself,” Pidge teased. “But I'll help too.”

Keith smiled, reaching down and taking Lance's hand in his. For all their teasing and fake complaining, Pidge and Hunk were the best best friends he and Lance ever could've hoped to find. “Thanks guys.”

“Yeah, guys, thanks.” Lance laced their fingers, Pidge and Hunk both giving them thumbs-up. “I mean, it's the least you could do after we've been watching your cats all this time.”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “It's been a week.”

“Such a long time,” Lance complained, lifting Blue. “Barely a moment to ourselves. It's been awful.” She licked his nose, making him laugh. “No, you ruined it.” But he kissed the top of her head anyway. “ _Te quiero, mi gatita dulce. Y tu, mi pequeña princesita_ ,” he added when Red headbutted his stomach for attention. He passed them both to Keith. “Alright, let's start up this round already, come on.”

After settling the kittens in his lap, Keith started up the Temple map for them to battle. Lance ended up getting a few good hits in with Luigi, though it was mostly due to him stealing the hammer out of the party ball that appeared halfway through the match. In the end, Pidge kicked both of their asses with Samus, tossing her controller onto the table and announcing she was done playing.

“You don't wanna play one more round with us?” Keith asked, already at the character selection screen.

“And risk losing my title as champion?” She smirked, pushing her glasses up and giving Verde a chin rub. “Pass.”

“Okay, then we'll just- Hey!” Blue mewed, steadily making her way onto Lance's head. He lifted her when she pushed a paw onto his eye, smiling when she wiggled. “Are you done napping? Is it playtime?” She mewed, so he meowed back and pushed his controller to the table.

Blue was dropped to his lap, rolled onto her back so he could rub her belly. She smacked at his hand, wiggling to get away and find a toy. “You're being abandoned on all sides, Keith. We'll have to take Pidge's title away next time. Maybe Hunk won't be lame next time and play.”

“Hey, I have a kitten. She and I are bonding. Aren't we?” Ouro meowed in his face. “Yes, we are. That's a good kitty.”

Keith chuckled and dropped his own controller onto the couch when Red started clawing at his shirt. “Okay, come on, brat.” He lifted her up, pleased to feel that she'd been steadily gaining weight over the past week, and pressed a kiss to her head. She mewed and licked the tip of his nose, pawing at the air to be put down. He cradled her back to his chest and scooted over on the couch so he could slide onto the floor next to Lance.

Red took off like a bullet when Keith set her down, running across the room to tackle Blue during her search for a toy. They rolled around for a bit until Blue got the upper hand, pinning her sister to the wood floor and licking her face. Red managed to wiggle out from under her after a minute, bolting to hide beneath the couch behind Lance. “These two are ridiculous.” Keith shook his head with a fond smile, taking hold of Lance's hand again. “I'm glad we're not separating them.”

Lance pressed a kiss to his temple, smiling when Blue trotted over with a fish to play tug with. “Uh-huh. You only want me for my kitten. I see your game, pretty boy.”

“You know you want to stay just as much as she does.”

“Maybe.” Lance climbed into Keith’s lap, letting Red shoot out from under the couch again. Blue raced after her, abandoning the toy. She couldn’t quite catch up, so skidded to a stop and jumped into Red's way when the tabby doubled back. They tumbled over the floor in a flurry of meows and even though she ended up pinned, Blue still happily groomed Red’s face. “Okay, yeah.” Lance laughed, pressing a kiss to Keith’s neck. “We both want to stay.”

Keith wrapped both arms around Lance's waist, resting their brows together. “Good, ‘cause I want both of you here.”

Lance's fingers curled into Keith's shirt above his heart, basking in the warmth of his embrace and the knowledge that his feelings were returned. He was right where he wanted to be, where he was wanted, and he was staying. Him and his happy little kitten. “ _Me haces feliz_ ,” he murmured, lifting a hand to thread it through Keith's mullet.

“What does that mean?”

“I'm gonna have to teach you some Spanish, pretty boy.” Lance kissed him lightly, doing his best to ignore the anticipation tingling beneath his skin. “It's, 'you make me happy.' Because you do.”

“You make me happy too.” Keith tipped his head up for another kiss, keeping it short since Pidge and Hunk were still in the room. “And I'd gladly learn Spanish for you.”

It would be fun to teach him so he wouldn't end up completely lost when they went to his family's house because moving out didn't mean leaving them all behind. He'd probably still be enlisted to take his younger siblings back and forth to their club activities, there were Sunday dinners where everyone showed, and... Well, he had two families now. He had the one that had raised him, and this little one with Keith and their kittens, and he loved both of them. He looked down when he felt paws on his thigh, smiling at their playful kittens. Blue had the fish back, swatting at Red when she tried to take it. “You're so bad at sharing, _gatita linda_.” Lance nabbed the toy, playing with them both. 

Between the four of them, they managed to exhaust the kittens. Even Siyah played once they'd moved the coffee table out of the way and gotten out the treats. She was surprisingly playful. Still silly-looking enough to make them laugh, but she'd clearly relaxed with them over the week if she was bouncing about and zipping in and out from under the couch. She was perfect for Shiro and Allura.

But eventually the kittens slowed, Ouro flopping over first to sleep. Siyah picked her up by the scruff to take her to bed, and that was the signal to go. “You guys aren't allowed to be hermits this weekend,” Hunk insisted, tugging on his boots. “You have to at least answer your texts.”

Lance grinned, Blue and Red poking their heads out of his jacket pockets and yawning squeakily. “I know Sunday morning we've got check-ups with Allura again, so we should grab lunch or something. After, we're heading to my family's place for real food.”

Keith walked over and took Lance's hand, tangling their fingers together and leaning in to kiss his cheek. “That sounds like fun.” All of it, especially dinner with Lance's family.

“I don't think you've ever seen my family full force, so we'll see about that.”

“If he can handle living with you, he can handle your family.” Pidge gave Verde a kiss to the top of her head, grinning when the kitten rubbed her head against the underside of her chin. “You think Allura will have an estimate when we can take these guys home?”

“Hopefully.” Lance shrugged. “Siyah's calmed down some, so that's a good sign.”

“She wasn't as worried about Ouro and Verde since they seemed to be the healthiest, so they should be good to go home with you guys soon.” It was just Red that she was more concerned for, but the littlest kitten was doing fine now, and Keith had no doubts that her checkup would show that. He glanced at her, peeking out of the pocket of Lance's jacket, and smiled. “So you have some time to go buy stuff for them.”

“Sounds good. I already told my sisters, so they're excited.”

Pidge relinquished her hold on Verde as they stepped outside, Lance tucking her in the crook of one arm. “I might get her a collar like you guys did for Blue and Red. They look cute.”

“Obviously. They're the best things I've bought in forever.” Lance grinned, giving Keith's hand a squeeze. “We'll see you guys Sunday.”

“Bye guys. We'll text you,” Keith promised.

“You'd better,” Pidge threatened. “We know where you idiots live.”

“Yeah.” Keith squeezed Lance's hand back, laughing. “Bye.”

They waited for the two of them to pile into Hunk’s SUV before going back inside, Lance kicking the door shut with a grin. “Oh my god, I live here. We told people. You can’t take it back, mullet. I guarantee you Shiro’s about to get his phone blown up, so that's even more people.”

“Not taking any of it back.” Keith returned the smile easily. “And if Shiro’s phone is getting blown up, that means ours will, too. Which means we need to silence them now. I don't want any interruptions.”

“Interruptions?” All innocence, Lance’s lashes fluttered. “From what? Got plans?”

Keith leveled a teasing glare at him. “Maybe I do.” He smirked, turning to wrap his other arm around Lance's waist beneath the jacket, careful not to jostle the two kittens, and dropped his lips to Lance's neck. “Maybe they involve you and that bed in the other room.”

Lance shivered against him, anticipation unfurling warm in his gut and sending off pleasant sparks in his mind. “Do they also involve your mouth?”

“They could.” Keith's own stomach was doing somersaults, reveling in the reactions he was able to pull from Lance at just his words. He remembered the blush on Lance's face after paying him all those compliments, and decided to test it again to see what other reactions he could get from his praise. “Maybe if you're a good boy.”

“O-oh. I can be good.” Lance squirmed against him. “I can be very good.”

“You should show me.” He dragged his tongue over Lance's pulse point before biting down quickly, suckling at his skin until it turned violet with a bruise. “Show me how good you can be.”

Lance moaned, the sound echoed by three curious mews. “ _Joder_ ,” he muttered, pulling away. Kittens, right. “Still, uh- Still have these guys. Just gonna go take care of them. Yeah. _Vamos, gatitas. Voy a culear_.”

Keith took Verde from him so he'd have something to do with his hands and followed him into the bedroom, helping to get all three of them settled in their box. Red and Blue stared up at them from the jacket, Blue mewing pathetically. “I'm sorry, sweetie, you can't be on the bed with us right now.” He reached in when she didn't stop whining, scratching behind her ear.

“We're not going anywhere, _gatita linda_.” Lance stroked her back, gently corralling her closer to Siyah. She was so not allowed to cockblock him. It would jeopardize her best cat status. “You won't be able to sleep with all your sisters and mama cat for long, Blue.”

“Same goes for you, brat.” Red blinked up at him until he broke down and picked her up, kissing the top of her head. “We'll let you up on the bed later.” She mewed softly, and when Keith set her back down, she curled up next to Blue and Siyah. “Good girl.”

When all four kittens were snuggled in around Siyah, Lance draped a blanket over the box to keep them comfortable in the dark and, well, because he didn't want their little heads to pop out of the top. They were just cats, but still. No. “If they start fussing, I'm probably going to die. I've wanted your hands on me for a mcfreaking _year_.”

“But you've already had my hands on you,” Keith teased, cupping said hands on Lance's hips. But he shared Lance's sentiment about not wanting the kittens to start making a racket in their box.

“If you want, I'll totally be more more explicit about where I want them and what I want them to do.”

Keith blushed, but wanted to keep up the playful teasing for a while longer. “You should definitely tell me.”

Lance pressed a kiss to his cheek and stood, grabbing Keith’s hand to pull him up. “I'll do you one better, _chico lindo_. I'll show you.”

Once he was upright, Keith cupped his other hand on the back of Lance's neck and drew him in for a kiss. “Okay, so show me.”

“That's a good start.” Lance grinned, hands trailing down Keith’s sides to slip beneath his shirt. “Oh my god, I need to touch you.” He pushed the fabric up and off, greedily taking in the bared expanse of skin. He'd seen this much of him already, but he hadn’t been able to appreciate it. Now he had time to appreciate, lips falling to Keith’s shoulder. His fingers explored his abdomen, tracing the lines of his abs. “ _Eres perfecto_.”

“Lance,” he breathed, his own hands finding the hem of Lance’s shirt. He curled his fingers in it, tugging idly while the fingers brushing over his skin caused goosebumps. His lips found the mark on Lance’s neck, and he bit down again, harder this time so he could taste the tang of copper from his blood.

Lance cried out, hips bucking forward. “K-Keith,” he groaned, a hand lifting to tangle in his hair and pull. “Want- _Te deseo_. ‘I want you.’ I love you.”

Keith kissed over the mark one more time before trailing his lips up to Lance’s, capturing them for a messy kiss. “I love you too. And god, I want you so bad. Feels like I’ve waited forever for this.”

“Coulda done this last _week_ , but no.” Lance huffed playfully, fingers undoing the button of Keith’s jeans and drawing down the zipper. “I've never done this with someone I'm in love with, though, so that's cool.”

“Me neither…” He shuddered under the attention, dick twitching in his boxers as Lance’s nimble fingers pushed his jeans down to his thighs. “Lance, please. Want you to touch me.”

“That's the plan, pretty boy. That is very much the plan.” Lance lowered to his knees, dragging Keith’s jeans down his legs. “How are you this gorgeous? Gorgeous and mine, holy crow.” Lance looked up, licking his lips as his fingers curled in the hem of Keith’s boxers. “You're so worth the wait.”

Keith's breath hitched and his pulse skipped, watching and waiting for Lance to do something, anything while he was on his knees in front of him. The fingers of one hand found their way into Lance’s short hair, tugging lightly. “You're worth the wait too, babe.”

Lance smiled, leaning forward to run his tongue along the skin just above the waistband. “ _Su piel es tan cálido. Sabes bien_.” He started drawing the fabric down, humming in approval as he freed Keith’s length. He cupped it, fingers kneading to coax him into hardness, to discover how he liked to be touched. “ _Eres bonito_. Oh, yeah, you're absolutely topping this time.”

“Okay, yeah, just-” His hips bucked forward, pressing further into Lance’s hand, encouraging him to touch more. “Please, wanna be inside you. And then I wa-want you in me.”

“ _Dios, eres asombroso_ ,” Lance breathed. “Absolutely.” He hummed, lips ghosting over the sensitive skin. His tongue flicked out, teasing the slit. Keith’s shudder was encouraging, his lips parting to take him in. He pushed the boxers down, letting them pool at his ankles, and then he gripped Keith’s hips and took him to the root in a smooth slide. It had been a while since he'd done this, but it was all muscle memory. He suckled his length, tongue rubbing the underside as he drew back to lap at the slit. “ _Mi novio lindo, mi amor_ ,” he murmured and sucked the cockhead wetly.

“L-Lance, oh my god.” The grip he had in Lance’s hair tightened, his other hand curling into the collar of the shirt he still had on. Lance's mouth was so warm, so wet and perfect around him, his talented tongue seemingly everywhere at once, and if his _mouth_ felt like this, he could only imagine what it would feel like to finally be inside him. Keith's knees were going to buckle, could already feel them beginning to give out, and he lamented the fact that they'd chosen to start this still standing up. “Lance, _please_.”

Lance hummed, looking up with a smirk. “Knees feeling a little weak there, pretty boy?” He lapped at the tip, drinking down the pre already spilling from him. “Need to sit down?”

Keith groaned, shaking his head. He was going to stick it out, even if he ended up falling to the floor under Lance's ministrations. “N-no,” he ground out, planting his feet stubbornly. “Come on. Be a good boy for me, babe.”

Fingers flexing on his hips, Lance swallowed him down again. Yeah, he could be good for Keith. He wanted to be, and, yeah, that made him totally weak, but he could accept that as long as Keith kept saying nice things about him. It was painfully arousing to know it was finally Keith, too. Keith’s weight against his tongue, Keith’s skin under his lips. His taste and scent filled Lance’s senses, clouding his mind in a haze that made him moan around his length. Jaw relaxing, he lessened his grip to let Keith move if he wanted, fingers stroking the curve of his hips rather than bruising them.

“F-fuck, Lance. You’re so good.” Keith rocked his hips forward, guiding him with the hand he had tangled in the soft strands at the back of his neck. Lance was taking him in so deep, so far, that his nose was brushing his skin and he could feel his cockhead bumping against Lance’s throat. He thrust his hips a bit, pushing even deeper, and moaned, feeling himself leaking pre on the back of his tongue. “ _Lance_ , holy shit, so good. Good boy.”

Lance whined around him, gaze lifting. Keith’s eyes were so dark, pupils blown wide with lust, and Lance had waited way too long to see them like that. He suckled greedily, lips firm around his shaft and tongue busy to bring him as much as he could. His hands slid down Keith’s thighs, kneading the firm muscle and blessing every minute Keith spent working out. They were going to feel so good around his waist later.

The multitude of sensations Keith was currently feeling was going to put him over the edge way too soon. It had been too long since he'd had this from anyone, and he'd spent too much time wanting it from Lance, that he wasn't going to last. His fingers flexed, nails scratching against Lance’s scalp as he moved his hips faster, seeking release. “Lance, m’close.” It would have been embarrassing if it were anyone else, but Lance loved him, and he loved Lance, and they had all the time in the world to drag it out another time. “Please.”

The quickness of it wasn’t even a passing thought, Lance much more interested in finally getting a taste. He wanted to swallow him down, take every drop. He wanted to hear his name continue to fall from that pretty mouth in that wrecked way. And he wanted to watch Keith fall off that edge because of _him_. Lance lifted his hands back to Keith’s hips, petting gently for only a moment before he dug his nails in and scratched to see if he’d been telling the truth about that being a kink.

Keith cried out, eyes clenching shut at the sharp sting along his sensitive skin. He was weak for it, needed more of the pleasureful pain from Lance’s fingernails. The duality of sensations sent shivers tingling up his spine, his orgasm pooling low in his gut already. “Oh my god, Lance. Ag-again.”

That was hot. That was probably the hottest thing Lance had ever had the pleasure of seeing. He whimpered around his cock, his own painfully hard and trapped in the confines of his jeans. Digging his nails in more firmly, he scraped them down Keith’s thighs and left thin red lines in their wake.

“ _Lance_ , I-” He came without any further warning, tugging hard at Lance’s hair. His thrusting became erratic and his knees did buckle, but he managed to keep upright with a hand thrown out to balance himself on Lance’s shoulder.

Okay, no, _this_ was the hottest thing Lance had ever had the pleasure of seeing. He grasped Keith’s hips again to help keep him up, too busy to be smug for the moment as he swallowed him down. He drew back enough to catch some on his tongue, humming at the taste before swallowing him back down and milking every drop. He didn’t let up until Keith was soft on his tongue, drawing back with little licks to make sure he was clean. He wiped the back of his hand against his glistening chin, panting. “Fuck, Keith. _Ay, estás rico_. So fucking gorgeous when you come.”

“Yeah?” His fingers slipped out of Lance’s hair, moving instead to his other shoulder to use him as a support for his trembling limbs as he stood up. “Well, now it's your turn.” Keith took the time to finally step out of his bottoms, kicking them across the room. “Why am I the only one naked?”

“Because I’m greedier than you?” Lance nuzzled his thigh, tongue gliding up one of the scratch marks. “When you finally fuck me, your back’s gonna look just like this.”

Keith shivered, tugging on Lance's shirt to get him to stand. “I’m looking forward to it. Now get the hell up here.”

“You’re so bossy, Keith.” But he rose, trailing kisses up his torso until he could press his lips to the curve of his neck. “ _Toca me_.”

“What does that mean?” Keith tilted his head to the side to give Lance more room, fingers curling into the hem of his shirt again. The skin on his thighs was stinging pleasantly, a constant reminder of the claim that Lance had laid to him. God, he couldn't wait to feel that same burning sensation all along his back.

“‘Touch me,’ Keith. I’m literally going to die if you don’t.”

“You won't die, idiot.” But he drew the shirt up and over Lance's head, throwing it onto the pile of clothes in the corner, and then began working on his jeans. He peppered kisses across the width of his shoulders, paying extra attention to the mark he'd left earlier, until he had Lance’s pants and boxers down around his knees. Glancing down, he sucked in a breath at the sight of Lance’s dick jutting out proudly, curved slightly up and to the left and _perfect_. “God, Lance. Fuck, you're beautiful.” He reached down and wrapped his hand around it, stroking slowly.

His breath caught, hands falling to Keith’s shoulders to grip tightly. Maybe his touch would kill him instead of the other way around. His hips rocked, seeking more warmth, more friction, more _Keith_. “ _Y soy tuyo_.” A hand slipped into his hair. “Please, Keith.”

“Yeah. Come on, sit on the bed.” He let go of him and guided Lance over to sit on the edge of the mattress. Keith dragged his pants the rest of the way off and tossed them behind him before kneeling, situating himself between Lance’s parted legs. His fingers caressed the insides of Lance’s thighs, inching closer to their destination. “I've only ever done this once-” and his gag reflex hated him “-so don't be too disappointed if it’s terrible.”

“It’s okay. I’m not-” He didn’t get them very often. Couldn’t hear praise if your partner’s mouth was full. “It’s you. I just want you to touch me, and I really don’t care how.” He slid a hand back into Keith’s hair, fingers tangling in the strands so he could test the other kink when the timing felt right. “I’m not gonna last that long anyway.”

“Okay.” Keith smiled up at him, sliding a hand back around the base of his cock to start the slow stroke again. He shuffled forward on his knees, using his other hand to drag Lance closer to the edge of the bed, and finally leaned in, parted lips hovering over his cockhead. “Tell me when you're close, ‘cause I want you to come on my face.”

Lance squirmed, stroking his fingertips down Keith’s cheek. “ _Eres lindo_. Only if I get to lick it off.”

Keith’s fingers squeezed around Lance’s length at the imagery that produced, and he let his tongue sneak out to lick up the pre beading on his tip. “D-deal,” he agreed, and then wrapped his lips around him, sinking down until his mouth met his fist.

Lance groaned, tightening his grip on Keith’s hair. It wasn’t far, but it didn’t need to be. It was Keith’s warm, wet mouth and his hand surrounding his dick, and he loved every sensation. “You're so pretty on your knees for me, _chico lindo_.”

Humming around him, Keith twisted his wrist and squeezed tighter while he slowly pulled back, suckling at the tip and licking into the slit. He moaned loudly when Lance's fingers tugged at his hair again, setting out to take a little bit more of him in when he sucked him back down.

“Keith,” Lance moaned. He never bothered to hide his sounds, giving praise as eagerly as he took it. Praise kept the good times coming, and that's what he wanted. “ _Tu boca_... _Me encanta_. You feel so good. So wet and hot and... And your hands! _Dios_ , Keith, _mi cielo_.” He fought to keep his hips still, whimpering as he pulled at Keith’s hair again.

Keith didn't have a praise kink, had never even thought that it could be something he'd be into, but hearing it fall from Lance’s lips, babbled like he had no control over what he was saying… It made him believe that he could develop something akin to it. It was also incredibly encouraging, making him want to keep pleasing Lance with his mouth and tongue and hands. He moaned, at both the words and the delicious pressure on his scalp, and took more of Lance’s cock into his mouth, pressing his tongue against the underside. His other hand snaked around to cup Lance’s balls, rolling them in his palm before he let them go to trail his fingers down to press against his perineum.

One hand fell back to prop Lance up as he arched back. “Ah-!” His hand felt everywhere all at once, heat shooting through him to sizzle his mind. His mouth was inexperienced, but so warm and wet and _eager_ that it made up for it tenfold. His tongue was just so busy, finding little spots against his shaft by accident and skipping right over them like a tease. It was the sweetest of tortures. And then to look down and see Keith - Keith’s lips wrapped obscenely around his dick, Keith’s fingers stroking what didn't fit, the other touching in all the right places. “Just like that, Keith. _Me encanta_.”

He hummed around Lance again, wanting to speak but not wanting to let go just yet. Lance was beautiful, and when Keith looked back up at him, it was past the flat planes of his abdomen, over the defined musculature of his chest, and into bright blue eyes that were watching him closely. Keith decided then that he was done waiting for it, and started sucking harder, no finesse in his actions - though there hardly was at all anyway. He drew away far enough that just the head was left in between his lips and squeezed his hand again, stroking quickly, his other fingers dipping lower still to tease his crack.

Lance parted his legs further on a whimper. As okay as he was with switching things up, he was first and foremost a bottom. “Keith- Keith, I'm- _voy a venir_. Close. I'm-” When those teasing fingers found his rim, Lance was gone. He tumbled over the edge on an outcry of Keith’s name, pulling his hair hard.

Keith whimpered, catching some of it on his tongue before pulling off completely and letting Lance finish coming on his face. He had to shut his eyes as it spurted over his cheeks, landing warm and wet on his eyelids. When Lance stopped twitching in his grip he leaned forward, taking him back in to lick his cockhead, squeezing and stroking upwards to milk the rest of it out.

“ _Dios_ ,” Lance panted. He looked beautiful, stunning, with the white streaks on his face. He pulled his hair again, sitting up straighter to reach for him. “Keith, _mi cielo_ , come here. Come up here. _Dame un beso_. I need to kiss you.”

“Y-yeah.” He blinked one eye open, enough to see as he rose, pushing Lance back on the mattress so he could crawl up and settle between his still parted legs. Leaning down he propped one hand on Lance's shoulder and brought their lips together.

Lance moaned into his mouth, tongue slipping between his lips to find his own taste laid over Keith’s. It was brief, fingers curling into his hair anew so he could tilt Keith’s head back and take his lips over his face. “ _Tan bonito, mi amor. Te amo_.”

“I love you too,” Keith breathed, shuddering when Lance's tongue joined his lips on their trek to clean up his own come. His hand flexed on Lance's shoulder, fingers kneading into toned muscle. “Such a good boy cleaning up after yourself.”

Lance shivered beneath him, the hand not in his hair trailed down his side. “Fuck, Keith.” When his face was clean, Lance nuzzled into his neck, nipping lightly. “ _Sabes bien_.”

Keith moaned, slipping both arms around Lance's waist and tugging him sideways until he was laying flat on his back before he crawled back in between his legs. He dragged his hands up his thighs to rest on his hips as he bent down to mouth at a spot just above a nipple, biting down to make the mark last. “You're so perfect, Lance. Perfect, and all mine.”

Moaning, Lance arched his back. One leg lifted, wrapping around his waist to keep him there, and his nails dragged over his shoulders in preview of what would soon happen. “ _Soy tuyo_. Yours, ‘m all yours.” And he'd been so worth the wait, and it was so stupid that there'd even been one. “Shoulda- shoulda been with you months ago. Love you so much.”

They were both idiots for keeping things to themselves for so long, but Keith couldn't bring himself to be upset or annoyed about it since they'd finally gotten their shit together. “You're here now,” he murmured, scooting closer as Lance gave him more room. “And I'm so in love with you.”

“Here and not leaving.” Lance tugged his hair to drag him up. “Come here and kiss me again. I really, really like your mouth.”

Keith smirked and bent over him, pressing the curve of his lips to Lance's. He slid his tongue inside, tangling with Lance's as his hands slipped down to knead at his thighs.

Lance stroked his back, fingers kneading into his skin as he trailed them down. They glided over the curve of his ass, cupping and squeezing to get Keith to move against him. Lance rocked his hips up, bending his knees to plant his feet, offering himself. “I- _Quiero que estés dentro de mi_.”

“Lance, god, w-what does it mean?” Keith moved right along with him, sliding a hand down to tease a finger against his rim. His lube was in the bedside table, and he wished he would have thought to grab it before he'd gotten in this position because he didn't want to move.

He whined, head falling back at the light, promising pressure. “‘I want- I want you inside me.’ Please, Keith.”

“Yes. Yes, Lance. Let me-” He pulled away, having to ignore Lance's whine as he reached into the drawer to grab his lube. He popped the lid and poured some on his fingers before turning back, breath hitching at the sight of his boyfriend laid out on his bed, propped up and putting himself on display. All for Keith. “God, Lance…” He crawled between his legs again, leaving space so he could trail his wet fingers down to his entrance, massaging the rim. “Gorgeous.”

Lance shivered, both compliment and touch sending tingles down his spine. Seeking more, he pushed against his hand. “ _Y tu_. So pretty. You’re gonna feel so good. _Tan bien._ ”

“Yeah…” Keith pushed his index finger in slowly, not stopping until his palm rested against the back of Lance's leg. Lance was tight, _hot_ around his digit, and Keith wiggled it slightly, feeling Lance clench around him. _Oh_. “Oh, god… you-you're gonna feel good, too.”

He already did. Greedy for him, Lance rocked his hips. “I know, _chico lindo_. I trust you.” He reached out, running his fingers through his hair, nails scratching lightly over his scalp. “Wanna feel you come inside me.”

“Je-jesus, Lance.” His words were fueling the fire starting again in Keith's gut, burning pleasantly as he pulled his finger out only to press back in with two. He scissored them slowly, twisting his wrist and rubbing at Lance's walls with each rock of his hips. Whimpers fell from his own lips at the attention to his scalp, and he dropped his lips to suck a kiss to the inside of Lance's thigh. “Love you,” he muttered again, just because he _could_.

“Ah... _Y tu, chico lindo_. Don't stop.” Lance's fingers tightened in his hair, the other grasping for Keith's free hand to lace their fingers. “Want you so much, gonna take every inch. Just you. Only want you. _Te necesito_.”

“Only you, Lance,” he echoed, and wedged a third finger in without drawing the others out, pressing firmly up into his prostate. “Gonna make you feel so good. My good boy, my Lance.” He squeezed Lance's hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss his knuckles.

He let out a stream of broken Spanish in response, hips bucking and eyes going blind as pleasure speared him. “ _Tan bien, bien, bien_ \- Yes!” His muscles tensed and spasmed around Keith's fingers, and he knew himself well enough that he wouldn't be able to take too much attention right there or he'd be gone. He didn't want it yet, wanted to be good for him. It needed to last. “Don't- I- I'll- Just that'll get me off, and I want- I need you. _Quiero que, ay! Que me cojas. Cojeme, mi amor_.”

“Okay. Okay, yeah.” His fingers were pulled out after another light massage to that spot, twisting them to stretch his rim. “We’re absolutely going to explore that later. Wanna see how many times I can make you come with just my fingers.” He picked up the lube again and slicked himself, done waiting and wanting to be inside of him, and grabbed a pillow to shove under Lance's hips.

The pillow was a sweet gesture, so at odds with the filthy words that Lance could only squirm helplessly. “I'm- I get-” He couldn't think of the English word, eyes glued to Keith’s hand as he prepared himself. He used just a little too much lube, and it was perfect. Lance liked it wet, liked the slide to be easy. “Oversensitive,” he remembered. “S’a kink, so yeah. Yes. Want that. But fuck me now, please, god. Been waiting so long, Keith.”

“S-same. Alright, just-” Keith pushed at one of Lance's knees, silently asking him to spread his legs even more and scooting forward when he complied. Stroking himself a couple times, he finally lined up with Lance's entrance, nudging his tip against the rim before pushing more insistently. Lance's hole seemed to be sucking him in as he kept up the steady press of his hips until he was fully seated, massaging Lance's thighs. “Oh my god…”

They probably could've gone through prep a little longer, Lance's head falling back and his eyes closing as Keith took him. But the stretch was perfect, leaving him beautifully full. “ _Eres perfecto_ ,” he sighed, tugging Keith down by the hair so their lips could meet while he got used to it. He'd never gone without a condom before, the thought not even occurring to him until he'd felt nothing but skin. He clenched around him, swallowing the sounds Keith made, and carefully rocked his hips. “Okay, y-yeah. Move. _Vamos, chico lindo_.”

Keith captured his lips again as he started to pull out slowly, reveling in the feeling of Lance’s hole clenching around his dick. He'd never done this bare either, had almost asked Lance if he wanted him to use protection, but then Lance had said the words “come inside me” and he was done. When just the head was left inside, Keith gripped both of Lance's knees and had him bend his legs up and to the sides, and then pushed back in quickly, not giving him time to adjust this time. “F- _fuck_ , Lance. So g-good.”

Crying out, Lance scrambled for purchase on Keith's back. His nails scratched more by accident than design, pleasure spiking in his mind and narrowing it to sensation. “Yes, yeah, yes, Keith! Keith, ah-!” Lance reveled in the pace he set, unable to move the way he wanted with his knees pinned as they were, but the angle was perfect for Keith to fill him so completely with every thrust. Whimpering, he tangled a hand back into his hair and dropped his mouth to Keith’s shoulder to nip sharply at his skin. “Good, good, _cojeme duro_. _Ay, me encanta_.”

Moaning, Keith pumped his hips faster, driving into Lance harder than he'd meant to, but not able to stop himself. He let go of Lance's knees, fingers digging into his hips instead to drag him closer. The sting of the scratches down his back combined with the tight wet heat wrapped around his cock was making him delirious. “D-do it. Bite me,” he insisted, craving the pain.

Lance didn’t hesitate, finding a place high on Keith’s neck and sinking his teeth in. He wanted to leave a claim his shirt collar couldn’t hide. He wanted everyone who looked at Keith to know that he belonged to someone, to him. Finally to him. When the coppery tang touched his tongue, he let up enough to suck and lap a dark bruise into his skin and nipped it a final time before letting his head fall back. “ _Eres muy bonito y tan bueno_. You’re gonna-” He whimpered, nails digging into Keith’s back. “Gonna come in me, fill me up, get- get me so wet. F-fuck, Keith.”

Keith couldn't stop the sounds spilling unbidden out of his mouth; moans, whimpers, whines, they wouldn't quit, and he was going to be hoarse later but he couldn't care. The bite to his neck brought him right to the edge, hips thrusting faster, harder, _deeper_ , needing to come, to do everything that Lance just said. “L-Lance, m’so close. Need- need you to-” Something, he didn't even know what he needed, he just needed- “More. _Please_.”

“Just- just don't stop, _mi cielo_. You’re- _ay, què rico_ ,” he groaned. Lance clung to him, nails dragging across Keith’s back to leave vicious marks in their wake, and just enjoyed the snapping thrusts. Hard and fast and deep - he was going to come untouched and didn't even care. But he needed something too. As incredible as Keith’s sounds were, he needed something more concrete. “Talk- talk to me. Tell me I'm- I'm good. I know I'm good.” The best he'd ever had because, god, Keith was the best for Lance. He wound his legs around Keith, ankles crossed high on his back as his hips began to finally move, meeting him thrust for thrust. “Tell me.”

“Oh god, Lance. Yeah, you're- _fuck_ , you're so good. Such a good boy for me.” He was hanging onto the edge, his orgasm burning in his groin as he staved it off just a little bit longer. “S-so perfect, you feel fucking amazing. Th- The best.” His grip was slipping, on Lance's hips and on his control, so he took a hand off of a hip, wrapping it around Lance's dick instead, and let himself go. “Gonna come. Want- Want you to come with me. Come on, babe.”

He'd been so close without his touch that his hand sent him right over the edge, Lance coming on a wail of Keith’s name. His nails scratched sharply, drawing blood as he raked them over the same paths, and his muscles clenched tightly around Keith’s length as his release streaked over their bellies and Keith’s hand.

“ _Lance_!” Keith drove into him once more before he came with a wordless shout, his seed spurting out and flooding Lance's hole. He could feel small droplets of blood oozing from the scratches on his back and he shuddered as he collapsed against Lance, hips twitching, still thrusting shallowly as he spent himself. “Lance, oh my god,” he panted, coming down slowly and caressing Lance’s sides. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” As cuddly as one of their kittens in the aftermath, Lance took his hands on a much gentler exploration of Keith’s back. He ducked his head to lick the mark he'd left, soothing the sting. “Love you so much. _Eres el amor de mi vida_.”

Keith sighed, shivering in Lance's hold as his fingers brushed over the wounds his nails had made. He dropped his own lips to Lance’s shoulder, kissing the heated skin and lapping up his sweat. “What does that mean?”

“I don’t know how you keep getting me to tell you sappy things, but ‘you're the love of my life.’” Lance pressed a kiss to his temple. “ _Eres mi cielo_. ‘You’re my heaven.’” He kissed him again, this time ducking his head and tugging lightly at Keith’s hair to capture his lips.

Moaning into it, Keith parted his lips, tangling his tongue with Lance’s as his fingers traced paths over his chest and abdomen. He had Lance right where he wanted him, where he'd _been_ wanting him, forever. Not breaking their kiss and managing to keep himself from slipping out, he scooted down to get more comfortable, making sure he wasn't crushing his boyfriend.

Lance shifted, missing the weight but not willing to complain when his mouth was so warm and mobile against his. And definitely not when they were still joined so intimately. “Skin is so much nicer than condoms,” he mused, hands linking at the small of Keith’s back to keep him close.

“Yeah, but the cleanup is gonna be annoying.” Not just Lance's ass, but Keith’s back would need tending to as well. He squirmed, just thinking about the scratches making them sting pleasantly. Lance had done such a good job with that particular kink. “It'll be worth it, though.”

“Mmhm. But you've clearly never had good shower sex if ‘annoying’ is your first thought.” Lance pinched his hip. “And, please god, stop moving. I just told you I get oversensitive, and that's gonna kill me when you already ruined me.”

A shower sounded like an awesome idea, but Keith wanted to spend a little more time teasing Lance, maybe get him off again with just his fingers and see him really come apart beneath him. “I think I could do a better job than that.” To prove it, he rolled his hips, and even though he’d gone soft, his cock still brushed lightly over Lance’s prostate.

“K-Keith.” Lance's hands slid to his hips, digging in. It wouldn’t take much to get him going again. “You- I'm serious.”

“So am I.” Keith leaned down to kiss him as he pulled out slowly, immediately pressing three fingers back in to keep his come from dripping out. He twisted his wrist and crooked his digits, dragging his blunt nails across his prostate before pressing firmly up into it.

Lance's back arched, a low moan spilling into the kiss. It was way too fast, but he could feel his cock twitching. One hand dove back into Keith’s hair to cling as sensation assaulted him. The wet still filling him, the tingling along his rim, and the staggering feel of those fingers - they were going to end him. “ _Me encanta_ ,” he admitted, legs spreading so Keith could have his way.

Keith pushed off of him, sitting back far enough so he could see what he was doing, what Lance looked like like this. “Oh god,” he breathed, kissing the inside of his thigh again. “That- You are so gorgeous, Lance.” His rim was bright red and stretched beautifully over his fingers, constricting around them with every thrust of his hand. “So good for me. I'm gonna make you come again just like this.” He saw how it was affecting Lance, could see his dick swelling back to hardness where it was resting on his stomach, and Keith felt his own cock twitching, becoming interested. “And then I wanna come inside you again, make you scream. Will you be a good boy and let me?”

Already whimpering, face flushed, Lance nodded. He didn’t really know if he’d be able to handle it, but he'd take it. He'd let Keith do anything. “I- I can be good. Yeah. Just for you.” His hips rocked into the touch, eyes dazed and dark. “ _Lo que quieras_. _Sigue así._ ”

“Just-” Keith looked up at him, hearing the trepidation in his voice, and paused his movements. He realized he wasn't being very considerate, so took a second to massage Lance’s thigh with his other hand. “Just let me know if it's actually too much. I don’t- I don’t want to hurt you.”

Lance reached down to cup Keith's cheek, stroking gently. He was admittedly a poor judge of his own limits and very bad at saying no. It had put him in uncomfortable spots more than once, but he trusted Keith. “ _Sigue así_ ,” he repeated. “‘Keep going,’ Keith. I know you'll take care of me. I want this. I want you.”

“Okay…” Trusting Lance to speak up if he needed him to stop, Keith continued, starting up a quick thrusting pace of his fingers. Each time he drew them out he rubbed over Lance's prostate and twisted his wrist with every press back in, his own come slicking the way and making hot, wet squelching noises echo in the otherwise quiet room.

Lance writhed desperately, his own noises adding to it. Whimpers and keening moans, babbles in a confused mix of language. He shifted to hook his legs over Keith’s shoulders, both hands buried in his hair. “ _Se siente bien, chico lindo_. _Más._ Please, please, feels so good. _Se siente tan bien_.”

“Yeah, Lance. Keep talking. Let me hear you. Tell me how you feel.” Keith shrugged so that Lance’s legs slid closer to his neck, turning his head to nip at his skin. His free hand moved to wrap around Lance’s cock again, keeping the strokes torturously slow with the lightest of pressure. “You're such a good boy, Lance. Tell me how good you are.”

He tugged on Keith’s mullet to try to make him move faster, whimpering when it didn’t work. “Please, please. I'm- I'm good, I'm being good. Gonna let you do anything. Gonna scream for you.” Lance clenched around his fingers, back bowing and an outcry spilling out as pleasure tipped deliciously towards pain. “Please, Keith, please-! I'm gonna- _voy a venir.”_

“Fuck, yeah, you’re so good, Lance. Come on. Come for me.” He sped up his hand, slipping his pinky finger in to join the other three. His hand on Lance’s cock squeezed and quickened his pace too. “Let go, Lance. I've got you.”

The extra stretch was blinding, one of Lance's hands falling from his hair to grip the sheets as he came. “Keith! Keith, Keith, I’m- ah!” It burned, his rim oversensitive, his prostate feeling overly swollen. Clenching around his fingers had his breath catching on a sob, overwhelmed, but he wanted more. He wanted to give Keith exactly what he wanted. “Keith, Keith, Keith-!” He tugged his hair, eyes barely open as he looked down. “Come on. Come on. Fill me up again. Please, please. _Soy tuyo. Quiero que estés dentro de mi_.”

Keith pulled his fingers out, swiping them through the new come on Lance’s stomach and rubbing it on his own dick. He wanted to push back inside Lance and just _take_ him, but his boyfriend was already holding back tears, and Keith wasn't going to last that much longer anyway. Slipping his cockhead just past the rim, he stroked himself, his fist trapped between their bodies and slapping against their skin as he sped up, just barely thrusting his hips to sink deeper into Lance. “Fu-fuck, Lance. Not- M’gonna-” He felt Lance clench around him again, looked up and saw his eyes closed tightly, a tear escaping the corner, and Keith was gone. He came hard and fast, his release oozing out and dripping down onto the pillow while Lance writhed underneath him. “Lance…”

Lance kept his eyes closed, embarrassed by the tears, but he reached for him. “Come here. Come here please. _Dame un beso_.”

Nodding, Keith gently slid out, not wanting to hurt Lance anymore than he already had. “You were so good, Lance,” he murmured, laying back down on top of him. “So perfect.” He caught Lance’s lips with his, cupping his cheeks, thumbs rubbing gentle circles under his eyes.

“Mmhm. So were you, pretty boy. It's okay. I'm okay.” He just needed a minute. Lance banded around him, arms and legs clinging to keep him as close as possible. “ _Te amo_.”

“I love you too.” Keith relaxed further, sliding his hands down to massage Lance's sides while he peppered kisses over his face and neck. “Are you sure you're okay?”

Lance’s lips curved at the gentle affection, blinking his eyes open. He threaded his fingers through Keith's hair, stroking carefully. “I'm sure. If you’d, y’know, gone all the way in, there might’ve been a problem, but I'm fine. You were good, pretty boy. Very, very good.”

“Hm, you were too, babe. So good for me.” He kissed a path back up to Lance's mouth and pressed a short, chaste kiss to his lips. “Love you so much.”

“Love you too. _Eres divino_.” Lance rested their brows together, smiling. “My Keith.”

Keith mirrored his smile, wrapping his arms around him as much as he could for a hug. “My Lance. I need to get you cleaned up.” There was a faint mewing coming from the box now, and Keith could hear the rustling of fabric against cardboard. “And then we can cuddle with our kittens.”

Lance let his limbs fall back to the bed on a sigh. “Yeah. They might’ve slept longer if they weren’t in here with us.”

“Maybe.” Keith lifted himself up, rolling over to sit on the edge of the bed. “Are you complaining about being able to cuddle?”

“No.” But he'd been looking forward to a shower to soothe the definite ache in his backside. He squirmed against the pillow, resigned to waiting. “Just pointing something out for next time.”

“Got it.” Keith stood up and stretched, turning back around to brush his fingers down Lance's arm. He tangled them with Lance's and tugged gently. “Come on. They can wait a little bit longer.”

“I- Okay.” Lance shifted gingerly off the pillow, trying to hide his discomfort as much as possible as he climbed out of bed. His knees felt like jello, grip tightening on Keith’s hand as he steadied himself. “Fuck, Keith.”

“Are you-” Keith felt a small surge of pride that he'd managed to make Lance's legs weak, though instantly felt guilty for making him move so soon after. They should have spent more time relaxing, but the come drying on their skin and inside Lance soon wouldn't feel good. He let Lance lean on him for support, slipping an arm around his waist. “Do you want me to carry you?”

“Oh my god, I'm not _that_ pathetic.” Lance huffed, kissing his cheek. The offer was sweet. Embarrassing beyond belief, but sweet. “You do realize that I'm basically obligated to make you feel like this when we switch, right?”

Blushing, Keith shuddered against him, anticipation already rising for next time. “Y-yeah. Looking forward to it.” He really, really was. “But right now I wanna wash you.”

“I knew I liked you.” Lance laughed, wrapping his arms around him for a tight hug. “You’re a good boyfriend, _chico lindo_.”

“So are you.” He slid his other arm around his middle, hands massaging the small of his back. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Lance kissed him. “Come on. Let's shower so I don’t hurt like hell tomorrow. I'll wash your back so you don't either.”

“Good idea.” Smiling, Keith pulled away, but left one arm where it was to help Lance as they started towards the bathroom. “Sure you don't want me to carry you?” he teased when Lance's legs wobbled.

“Do you even think you could?” Lance poked him with a small huff. “Asshole.”

Keith smirked, and that was all the warning he gave him before using his grip on Lance's waist to his advantage to pull him close, bending down to hook his other arm behind Lance's knees and lifting. He held him close to his chest as he leaned down for a quick kiss. “Yeah, I think I can.”

“O-oh.” Lance pressed his face against Keith’s shoulder to hide his wide eyes, arms wrapping securely around him. “Okay then. Yeah. So you can.”

Keith laughed and drew him even closer as he walked into the bathroom. He set him down carefully next to the tub so he could lean over to start the water, making sure it was a comfortable temperature. He turned back to Lance to help him into the spray, stepping in after him, hissing slightly as the hot water sluiced over the scratches on his back. “Gonna get you nice and clean, babe, and then I want to cuddle with you and our babies.”

“I like this plan. And I’m definitely going to get you clean too,” he decided, immediately feeling better beneath the warm spray. Grinning, he drew him closer to steal a quick kiss. “Your back needs tending to, pretty boy. Though the first thing I’m packing Sunday is going to be my shower stuff. I don’t know how your hair stays as soft as it does with the trash you use.”

“It’s not trash,” he argued, glancing at the bottle of generic shampoo on the edge of the tub. It worked just fine for him, and besides, Lance didn't seem to have any complaints. Keith grabbed it up and squeezed some out into his palm, intent on washing Lance's hair, trash or otherwise. “And just how much ‘shower stuff’ do you have?”

“Mm. Enough.” Lance smiled, eyes closing when Keith’s hands slid into his hair. He hummed in pleasure, hands sliding down to cup his waist as Keith massaged his scalp. 

“Are we gonna have to get another cabinet just for your crap?” he teased, dragging his fingers down to the back of Lance's neck. He swiped the thumb of his other hand across his forehead to prevent the suds from getting in his eyes.

“It’s not crap,” Lance protested, petting his hips as the attention left his head tingling. “But we won’t need a new cabinet because your stuff doesn’t even fill one. Mine’ll fit.”

“Yeah.” He spent a few more moments working the lather through Lance's hair and then trailed both hands to the back of his head. “Alright, tip back so I can rinse this out.”

Feeling pliant and surprisingly agreeable, Lance did as he was asked, letting Keith’s fingers work out the suds. When it was just water streaming down his back, he blinked his eyes open and sought Keith’s lips for a kiss that was just as warm as the water cascading over them. “Your turn, mullet.”

“Okay.” Smiling, Keith passed the bottle to Lance, stealing another kiss as he relinquished it to his hold.

“Most of your hair’s in the back, so turn.” Plus, it would give him a good look at the scratches he’d left. Lance’s brows lifted at the red welts, feeling a small buzz of pride for them and the way Keith had reacted to them. “It almost looks like you let the kittens run around your back.” He poured some shampoo into his palms, rubbing them together before sliding them into Keith’s hair. His nails scritched gently over his scalp, working the suds down to his roots. 

Keith huffed out a breathless laugh, wincing when the shampoo suds streamed over the open wounds on his back. “Mm, but it's all you.” He sighed under the constant attention Lance's nails were paying him. “I like the pain, love knowing that it's you who caused it.”

“You’re lucky I actually leave them at a decent length.” He liked them to look cute when he was in the mood to paint them, and short nails just weren’t that cute. Lance took his fingers through Keith’s hair, taking the suds to the ends. Because he could, he let the lather soak in and traced the lines he’d made. “I like that the only marks I can see are the ones I left. Eventually, I’m going to leave permanent ones, _chico lindo_.”

The stinging pain left his mind reeling, arching his back, unsure if he wanted to get closer to the source or farther away to get relief. “Y-yes, want you to mark me up, make them last forever.” Because he was Lance's forever and he wanted anyone that saw them to know just to whom he belonged.

“I will. We've got plenty of time for me to. If you keep taking me as well as you just did, you'll have scars from my hands pretty soon.” Lance gentled his strokes along the lines. “Now lean forward so I can rinse your hair.”

Keith let his head fall forward directly under the spray, shutting his eyes when the water rinsed the suds onto his face. Behind him, Lance quickly slid his fingers back through his hair to get it all out, massaging down his back again once the water ran clear and making Keith shudder despite the heat. “Mm… That feels good. Better.”

“Good. While I've got you here, I'll take care of your back. You're not bleeding anymore, so that's good.” Lance took his washcloth and found his bar of soap, not bothering to comment. Why anyone would use bar soap willingly was beyond him. After only having used it since the night before, his skin was already mad at him. Keith's would be getting an upgrade once they got his things. He sudsed the cloth before taking it gently over Keith’s back, cleaning the stinging lines. “ _Eres perfecto, mi amor_.”

Keith groaned, digging his fingers into his thighs at the pain. “Ah, okay. That- Yeah…” It hurt as Lance dragged the rough cloth over them, but the relief after they were cleaned overpowered it. “Good. Just… hurry up so I can take care of you.”

Lance turned him so the water could stream soothingly down his back, setting the cloth aside. He cupped Keith’s cheeks and brushed their lips together. “I love you. I'm sorry.”

“No, it’s okay.” He dragged Lance back in by his hips for a firmer kiss. “Really, it's fine. I love you too.” Grabbing a clean cloth, Keith wet it under the water and got it soapy. “I just really want to clean you up.”

“You just want to get back to the kittens,” Lance accused, poking his sides playfully.

“That too.” Keith smiled as he began to wash him, starting with his shoulders and chest. “But I do like the aftercare, and taking care of you.”

Lance stroked his hips. “Mmhm. No complaints here.”

“Didn't think so. Okay, turn around and bend over.” There was a teasing tone to his voice, but he meant it in all seriousness so he could have a better angle to clean him.

He rolled his eyes, but turned and leaned forward with his hands braced against the shower wall. “Smartass.”

Keith pressed a kiss to the back of Lance's neck, nipping lightly before trailing his lips down his spine. Cupping a hip, he passed the cloth over the skin of Lance's inner thighs until he reached his entrance. “Let me know if it's too uncomfortable.” He spread Lance's cheeks with his fingers, lightly kneading while he dragged the washcloth carefully over his hole, wiping up the come that had already dried.

Lance had to bite his lip to hold back the whimper, closing his eyes as Keith cleaned him. It stung, but he wasn’t willing to admit it. He needed to be clean and, really, Keith’s hand couldn’t get any gentler. “ _Joder_ ,” he breathed.

“Hold on for a little bit. I'm almost done.” He didn't want to drag it out any longer than he had to, because no matter how hard Lance tried to hide it, he could still sense his discomfort. He dipped into his hole carefully, just far enough to clean past his rim, even though it killed him to have to ignore the distressed sounds coming from Lance. It was only for a few seconds though, quickly pulling out before the pain could get worse. “You okay?” he asked quietly, massaging his hips.

“I- uh, yeah. I’m fine. I’m okay.” Lance blew out a breath, fingers flexing against the tile. “You’re done?”

Keith took a small step back after pressing one more kiss to his nape. “Yeah, I'm done.”

Blowing out a relieved breath, Lance straightened and turned again to pull him close. “ _Cada minuto te quiero más_. I don’t know about you, but I’m officially exhausted and ready to cuddle with you and our kittens.” 

Deciding not to ask for a translation - it was probably something sappy again anyway, which made him smile - Keith wrapped his arms back around Lance's waist. “Yeah, definitely.”

Keith left the water on just a few moments longer while he kissed Lance under the spray before reaching down to turn it off. They were quick to towel each other dry and walk back to the bedroom, stopping by the box full of kittens to retrieve Red and Blue. “It's okay, sweetie,” Keith muttered, scratching under Red's chin. “I've gotcha.”

The other kittens seemed glad to be rid of them, snuggling close in to Siyah to get back to sleep. Lance chuckled, grabbing his pajama pants and tugging them on before stealing both kittens away from Keith to climb into bed with them. The pillow was pushed to the floor with a small grimace because, yeah, he didn’t need the kittens getting into that. There was still an ache in his lower back, but it was pleasant now, a welcome reminder of what he and Keith had done. He rolled onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbows with their kittens tumbling between them. He put more weight on one hand to free the other to pet their soft fur, lips curved in an easy smile. “ _Mis gatitas dulce_ s.”

Keith laid on his side and reached out to stroke a hand down Blue’s back, laughing softly when she rolled over and Red tackled her. “Crazy kittens.” Shoving his face into his pillow, he scooted closer to Lance, slipping his arm across the small of his back and cupping his hip. “C’mere.”

Lance grinned, scooting closer. He folded his arms, settling his cheek on them. “Say ‘ _dame un beso_.’”

“Okay. _Dam- Dame un beso_. What’s it mean?”

“‘Give me a kiss.’ So...” He scooted even closer, brushing his curved lips to Keith’s.

Keith smiled, pressing his lips more firmly onto Lance’s. It lasted for all of five seconds before Red wedged herself between them, causing them to break apart. “Damn it, Red.” But he couldn't stay annoyed at her when she blinked up at him with wide brown eyes. “You’re lucky I love you, brat.”

Lance laughed. “ _Pequeña princesita_ , you're so bad. _¿Dónde está mi gatita linda?_ ” Blue swatted at the ends of his hair, mewing until Lance plucked her up and settled her between them. He rolled onto his side, smiling when she rolled onto her back for a belly rub. “ _Esa es mi buena chica_.”

“Come on then, brat.” Keith got his hand under Red and lifted her, settling her on his chest as he laid down on his back. She crawled up to lay curled up beneath his chin, licking his collarbone lightly with her rough tongue. His fingers blindly found her head, scratching behind an ear and turning his head to catch Lance’s gaze. His free hand sought Lance’s, lacing their fingers together. “I love you.”

Lance shifted closer, Blue climbing onto Keith to curl up beside Red. “Say ‘ _te amo_.’”

“ _Te amo_.” He'd heard it enough the past two days that he was able to actually pronounce it.

“ _Te amo también_.” Lance kissed his cheek, tucking his chin on Keith’s shoulder. “Say ‘ _eres mi todo_.’”

“ _Eres mi todo_.” The first word came out sounding like “air-ace”, but he managed. “And what is that one?”

“That one's proof that we need to work on your pronunciation, _chico lindo_.” He laid a hand over his abdomen, tracing the lines of muscle with a fingertip. “ _Eres mi todo_. ‘You’re my everything.’”

Keith laughed, shoving lightly at his shoulder. “Alright, well, maybe I don't wanna learn if you're gonna make fun of me.” Though that was a blatant lie, because he absolutely wanted to learn. Learn for Lance. When he’d calmed down, he laid his hand over Lance’s, lacing their fingers. “Why _do_ you want teach me?”

Lance gave his hand a squeeze, hiding his face against Keith’s shoulder. “ _Español es por mi familia_. _Eres mi nueva familia_.”

“What does that mean?”

“‘Spanish is for family.’ It's why I don’t use it, y’know, anywhere.” Lance looked up, bringing Keith’s hand to his lips. “I want you to learn because you're my family, and I love you.”

Keith’s breath hitched, squeezing Lance’s hand. “I love you too, Lance. Of course I'll learn.”

“ _Ay, te amo._ ” Lance kissed him soundly, laughing into it when he felt a tiny paw bat his face. “ _Te quiero, pequeña princesita_. Even though you're the biggest brat.” He scratched her behind the ear.

“Yeah, she is a brat.” She turned her wide gaze back to Keith, blinking innocently at him. “Okay, time for sleep.” He swept her up again and placed her on the pillow, Blue crawling up to join her. With nothing in between them now, Keith rolled onto his side to snuggle in closer to Lance. “Sleep now.”

Lance giggled, slipping a leg between Keith’s and draping an arm over his waist. “ _Buenos noches, chico lindo. Que tengas dulces sueños_.”

Keith yawned, slipping his eyes shut. “And that?”

“‘Sweet dreams.’” Lance pressed a kiss to his brow, then his lips before settling in and letting his eyes close. “Love you, Keith. _Mi familia_.”

“Yeah, _familia_. Love you too, Lance.”

Lance smiled. “Definitely gonna work on your pronunciation, mullet.” But not then. The kittens were purring just above their heads, helping lull him to sleep as much as the sex. The very amazing sex that he was looking forward to repeating as soon as possible. “Mm. ‘Night.” He shifted even closer, wrapped securely around his boyfriend as he drifted off.

“‘Night, babe,” Keith replied, even though he was sure Lance had already fallen asleep. He let it take him over as well, thoughts and senses filled with Lance and their kittens, feeling completely surrounded and loved. He loved Lance back in equal measure, looking forward to starting their new life together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 02: 2/9~~  
>  ~~Ch 03: 2/16~~  
>  ~~Ch 04: 2/23~~  
>  ~~Ch 05: 3/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 06: 3/9~~  
>  Ch 07: 3/9


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for coming on this journey with us. Our next fic will be up sometime in the future, so you should totally subscribe to us to get updated on when it's available.
> 
> There's only one Spanish phrase in this chapter. Hover over it to see the English. Translation is in the bottom notes for those on mobile. <3

It was nearly a month before the five cats were ready to be split up. Allura and Shiro took in Siyah first, mama cat hesitant when Lance and Keith took her to her new home without the kittens. But she got into Lance’s car without a fight and had stayed curled in Keith's lap the entire time.

Allura had nearly cried, eyes bright with unshed tears as she hugged the young couple. She'd fallen in love with the silly-looking Turkish Angora over the course of their vet visits, and Siyah had warmed up to her and Shiro in turn. Used to the company of men after living with Lance and Keith for so long, it was Shiro’s arms that she curled up in when the two had said their goodbyes and went to the door. She'd followed them out of habit, but when both had given her farewell pets and pointed back towards the older couple, she'd understood and flounced over to Shiro.

The last night all four kittens would be with them, though, Verde and Ouro had joined their sisters in the couple’s bed. Ouro’s fondness for food hadn't yet let up, the little Birman a roly-poly of chubby fluff because she'd figured out how to sneak into the food container. If Keith hadn’t come home from class sick one day, they likely never would've caught her. Verde had graduated to climbing curtains, one of the many additions Lance had insisted on - “We don’t _need_ curtains, Lance. We live in the desert, out of town!” Lance had pouted and dropped the set he wanted into the shopping cart when Keith wasn't looking. So curtains.

They weren’t the only additions, Lance’s family generous with their hand-me-downs, and Lance always eager to accept and never shy about asking. Keith continued not to ask, but he had to admit that their new couch was softer and gave Lance much more room to sit in his lap. Not that he used it.

“Chain Chomp, Chain Chomp, Chain Chomp!” Lance muttered, wriggling against his boyfriend.

“Idiot, _you’re_ Baby Luigi!” Keith pointed out, shifting his arms around Lance to get a better grip on his controller. “And _you’re_ driving! You have to pass it back to me so I can use it.”

“Yeah, well, this is what happens when you let me drive!” He smashed the button to toss the special back. They'd had a solid lead, but had gotten blue-shelled twice and then screwed over by a very well-timed banana toss. But they'd finally gotten the Chain Chomp special, so victory was back in their sights.

“Whatever, just keep it straight.” Waiting for the right opening, Keith mashed X to unleash their power-up, Chain Chomp mowing down the other racers in their way. It got them up to second place, right behind Pidge and Hunk - who had been the perpetrators of tossing at least one, if not both, of those blue shells - as Lance passed through another double power-up block. Keith was rewarded with his special golden mushroom, not even giving Lance any warning before using it, sending them speeding right past their friends and over the finish line.

“Woo!” Lance laughed, dropping his controller to the table so he could grip Keith’s shirt when he turned and pressed their lips together.

Pidge huffed, exchanging her controller for her kitten. “They suck. How have you survived with them for so long, Verde?” The bobtail purred and wiggled in her hold, streaking up the side of her scratching post when Pidge let her go.

“They feed her. What else do you expect?” Hunk asked, chuckling as he rubbed Ouro’s belly.

“They feed yours more than any of the others.”

Keith laughed as he pulled back from Lance. “Ouro feeds herself most of the time.”

“Very true.” Lance rested his cheek on Keith’s shoulder, as content to be close as he had the first time he'd impulsively climbed into his lap.

Twin jingles grew louder beneath the couch, Red shooting out with Blue on her heels. No longer the thinnest of the kittens, Red was still somehow the fastest, so was able to bounce off the coffee table and pounce on Blue, the two inseparable sisters tumbling end over end. Blue took being pinned in stride, purring and licking Red’s face until the tabby moved and the chase started again.

“ _Mis gatitas locas,_ ” Lance laughed.

After dropping his controller onto the couch cushions, Keith dragged Lance closer, pressing his chest against the firm expanse of Lance's back. His own back was tingling pleasantly beneath his shirt from their activities the night before, and he squirmed, placing a biting kiss to the nape of Lance's neck. “You know, I’m gonna miss having Ouro and Verde here.” As much as they weren't _their_ kittens, he and Lance had still formed a strong bond with them, and it was going to be upsetting to see them go. Even knowing that they would probably be with Pidge and Hunk every Friday for game night, it didn't make Keith feel any better.

“Yeah, it's been weird enough not having Siyah around.” Lance pressed his hips back to press his boyfriend more firmly against the couch to either stop the wiggling or encourage it. Even he wasn't quite sure what he was aiming for. “Our babies are all grown up, Keith.”

“‘Our babies,’ yeah.” He smiled into Lance's skin, sliding his hands down to cup his hips and push his own up, subtly so hopefully Pidge and Hunk wouldn't notice. As comfortable as he'd gotten in their displays of affection around their friends, he still tried to keep these particular ones as inconspicuous as possible, despite Lance's mild exhibitionist kink that they'd both found out by accident. “We really are crazy cat ladies.”

“But you're still going to end up with two of them,” Hunk assured them, rising from his chair.

Lance swayed his hips, trying to disguise the relief that they were leaving. “Two’s way less than five,” he complained, a hand falling to Keith’s thigh to squeeze.

Keith groaned, having to hide it behind a humming noise as he twitched in his jeans. His fingers started massaging, inching slowly towards Lance's groin. “Two’s also less expensive than five, though.” Which, yeah, that part made him happy. 

“Mmhm. Ouro’s half the food b-budget by herself.” Lance wasn’t as good at hiding his sounds, eager to be vocal, so he had to bite his lip. He shifted in his hold, kissing up to Keith’s ear. “ _Quiero que me cojas_ ,” he murmured, knowing Keith was well-versed in certain aspects of Lance’s Spanish by this point. 

“God, yeah…” His fingers dug in more firmly into Lance's Adonis belt, knowing that there would be bruises later that he could suck and nip at to make darker. He spent a few more seconds kneading into skin before lifting Lance up easily and shifting carefully out from under him. Pidge and Hunk were collecting their kittens and things to take home, and they needed to say goodbye. He took Lance's hand and laced their fingers, squeezing in silent promise. “You'll bring them back to visit next Friday, right?”

“Yeah, of course.” Pidge shook her head, cradling Verde. “We're not going to keep them away from their sisters forever.”

Hunk laughed. “Or their tag-team dads.”

Lance rose, giving Keith's hand a squeeze in return before letting go to find Red and Blue. He scooped them up, slipping them into his pockets. “You'd better not. And don’t skip out on their appointments tomorrow. It's their last weekly one.” He scratched beneath Ouro’s chin, smiling at her rumbling purrs. “Allura’s probably just gonna tell you that Ouro’s fat.”

Hunk gasped. “She's not fat! She's just well-fed.”

“No, she's fat.” Keith laughed at his second offended gasp and stood up, walking over to Pidge to pet Verde. “And Verde is still a little shithead.”

She swatted at him as if to prove the point, and Pidge laughed. “She's probably the reason behind most of the scratches on your hands.”

“Easily the reason for all of them,” Lance agreed, reaching into his pockets to pet the kittens with their heads poking out. Red had a paw flopped out, playing with Lance's fingers. “You enjoy that.”

“We'll be fine.”

“Yeah, they're good kitties.” Verde finally stopped trying to hit him long enough for Keith to rub her chin, smiling when she started purring. “We’ll see you next week, Verde. You and Ouro.”

“If they're problems, like, let us know. Y’know. Obviously.” Lance couldn't help the offer. The kittens were their babies. He and Keith had retrieved them from beneath the porch and nursed them back to health. They were used to four little personalities filling the cabin. It was going to be easier with only two, especially since Blue no longer needed supplements and Red was on regular food, but less fun too.

Lance bundled Ouro in his arms so Hunk could grab his bag and shoes. She was fat. Fat and sweet and loud, mewing even as she rubbed the top of her head to the underside of Lance's chin. No doubt in search of the treats he always had, but Hunk gave her one and he had to give her back to him when they reached the door. He had to cross his arms to keep from reaching for Verde in the same way. They had access to them whenever they wanted and would have them back on Fridays. It was enough.

It would be enough.

“Lance, never have an actual kid. You'd be the most overbearing parent ever,” Pidge teased and he stuck his tongue out at her.

Keith smiled, slipping his hand into the pocket of Lance's jacket that held Blue, stroking her fur. It was bittersweet, watching Verde and Ouro getting taken away from his and Lance's home, but Keith knew that they were in good hands with Pidge and Hunk. “I want pictures.”

“You don’t get to have a kid either,” Pidge decided, following Hunk off the porch. “See you guys later.”

“Pics!”

“Shut up, Lance!”

Hunk laughed and waved, tossing his things into the back of his SUV. “I'll send you some.”

“Hunk, don’t cater to them.”

“Don't listen to her, Hunk. Send all the pictures.” And he'd let Lance have way too much influence on his vocabulary with his knowledge of stupid memes. He brushed it off, waving back at them. “Bye!”

They waited on the porch until the SUV backed up, Hunk and Pidge waving at them with the two kittens in Pidge's lap. Lance sighed when the door closed, Blue mewing curiously in his pocket. “I feel like we just ripped our family in half.”

“I know…” Keith wrapped his arms around Lance's waist for a tight hug, resting his cheek on his boyfriend's shoulder. “But at least we still have Red and Blue.” And each other.

“Very true, _chico lindo_.” Lance kissed his temple, a hand tangling in his hair. “Wanna go play with them until they fall asleep? Then maybe come back out here and see what we can accomplish on a bigger couch?” 

Standing up on his toes, Keith pressed his smirk to Lance's lips. “Definitely.”

Lance grinned, keeping him close and able to feel the kittens wriggling in his pockets in search of attention. This was his family. Smaller than it had been, but Siyah, Ouro, and Verde were where they belonged. Just like Red and Blue. “ _Te amo,_ Keith.”

Keith squeezed him closer, listening to the soft mews of their pseudo-children in Lance's pockets. A month ago he never would have thought he'd have this, but now that he did, he was never letting go. “ _Te amo también_ , Lance,” he muttered, letting the Spanish roll easily off his tongue, knowing that Lance was expecting it. “I'll love you and our family forever.”

Lance smiled, drawing Keith in for a warm kiss. He knew how Keith stood living in the tiny cabin way out in the middle of nowhere. It was cut off and secluded from the rest of the town, the commute almost unbearable. Most mornings, Lance missed his old fifteen minute drive when the alarm sounded ungodly early. But then those warm lips would meet his, his hands able to sink so easily into messy soft hair. Soft morning meows from babies impatient for food and cuddles.

It was home. Small and secluded and theirs. Forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Quiero que me cojas_ \- I want you to fuck me
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Updates on Thursdays:  
>  ~~Ch 01: 2/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 02: 2/9~~  
>  ~~Ch 03: 2/16~~  
>  ~~Ch 04: 2/23~~  
>  ~~Ch 05: 3/2~~  
>  ~~Ch 06: 3/9~~  
>  ~~Ch 07: 3/9~~


End file.
